The Government will decide which tier each region is placed in after December 2 based on "the number of cases" in each area, but particularly the numbers of people aged over 60 testing positive for the virus, according to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps.

He told BBC Breakfast that although half the country may be placed in the strictest Tier 3 alert level, this will still allow for more freedoms than the national lockdown currently in place for England.

Mr Shapps said: "I think it is the case that we do need to be a bit tighter on the tiers - Tier 3 in more places is a strong possibility - but there's still a difference between that and what we're doing now.

"For example, in terms of the number of people that can meet outside in a public place, and a number of other things.

"We've been living through this nightmare for a long time now, we all know the only way to defeat this virus is, I'm afraid, to keep people apart and separate from the most natural thing, which is human contact.

"You can only breach that in a certain number of places and I think we've made our decisions as a country that that has to be for things like education and work whilst we get through this winter."

He explained the "successful mass testing programme" in Liverpool and "brilliant news on the three different vaccines", have given the country a sense of "hope on the horizon".

Grant Shapps added that the Government will "absolutely" be in close contact with local mayors and councillors in England as the country moves from the lockdown to three-tier stage.