2020 in the United Kingdom

Incumbents

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Prime Minister – Boris Johnson
• Parliament – 58th

  Events

January

• 4 January – The Foreign Office warns British nationals against all but essential travel to Iran and Iraq, following a US airstrike in Baghdad the previous day in which Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was killed.
• 5 January – Boris Johnson says "we will not lament" Qasem Soleimani's death as he calls for "de-escalation from all sides".
• 6 January
• *Reynhard Sinaga, described as "the most prolific rapist in British legal history", is sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years, after being found guilty of raping or sexually assaulting 48 men in Manchester. Police believe he may have been responsible for assaulting a total of nearly 200 victims.
• *Downing Street states that Britain will not support U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to bomb Iranian cultural and heritage sites.
• 7 January – The Labour Party leadership election formally begins, with the new leader scheduled to be announced on 4 April.
• 8 January – Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, announce that they plan to "step back as senior members" of Britain's royal family, and divide their time between the UK and North America.
• 9 January
• *The House of Commons gives its third and final backing to the Withdrawal Agreement Bill, voting 330 to 231 in favour; the bill now passes to the House of Lords for scrutiny.
• *The UK and Irish governments publish a deal aimed at restoring the Northern Ireland Executive; the Democratic Unionist Party gives its backing to the agreement.
• 10 January – Sinn Féin gives its backing to a deal to restore power-sharing government to Northern Ireland for the first time since 2017.
• 11 January
• *The Northern Ireland Assembly reconvenes after a three-year hiatus; DUP leader Arlene Foster is appointed Northern Ireland's first minister, while Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill is appointed deputy first minister.
• *Robert Macaire, the British ambassador to Iran, is briefly detained in Iran after attending a vigil for those killed on Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752. Iran summoned him to appear at its foreign ministry the following day after saying he had been "an unknown foreigner in an illegal gathering".
• 13 January – Following a meeting of senior royals, the Queen agrees to a "period of transition" during which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend time in Canada and the UK.
• 14 January
• *The government agrees a rescue package for troubled regional airline Flybe to stop it going into administration.
• *Boris Johnson formally rejects Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's request for a second independence referendum.
• 16 January – Legislation is drafted before Parliament allowing the use of television cameras during trials at Crown Courts in England and Wales, but only the judges will be filmed.
• 17 January – Construction begins on Dogger Bank Wind Farm, which will become the world's largest offshore wind farm when complete, with 260-metre high turbines generating a combined 3.6 gigawatts and supplying 4.5 million homes.
• 18 January – Buckingham Palace confirms that from spring 2020 the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will no longer use their royal titles and will no longer receive public funds for their royal duties.
• 21 January – The Office of Rail and Road announces that Network Rail is being investigated over its poor performance on routes used by train operators Arriva Rail North and TransPennine Express.
• 22 January – Boris Johnson's EU withdrawal deal successfully completes its passage through parliament, with the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill being voted through without change, after several amendments proposed by the House of Lords are rejected.
• 23 January
• *Parliamentary ratification of Boris Johnson's EU withdrawal deal is completed with Royal Assent being given to the EU Withdrawal Agreement Bill.
• *An earthquake of 3.0 magnitude is recorded by the British Geological Survey in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, just before 6am.
• 24 January
• *The UK's EU withdrawal agreement is signed by both parties; firstly in the morning in Brussels, by European Council president Charles Michel and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for the EU, then after travelling on the Eurostar in a diplomatic case, in London in the afternoon by Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the UK.
• *Police announce that live facial recognition technology will be rolled out across London.
• 25 January – A newly appointed member of the Grenfell Tower fire public enquiry panel resigns after being linked to the company which supplied cladding for the block.
• 27 January – The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, tells the House of Commons that 200 British citizens trapped in Wuhan, China, will be offered repatriation to the UK, in light of the coronavirus outbreak there.
• 28 January – The Prime Minister approves a limited "non-core" role for China's Huawei in Britain's 5G mobile network, resisting U.S. pressure to exclude the company on fears China could use it to steal data.
• 29 January
• *British Airways suspends all flights to and from mainland China with immediate effect, due to the ongoing coronavirus threat.
• *Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announces that troubled train operator Arriva Rail North will be brought under government control from 1 March following a prolonged period of delays and poor performance.
• *The Guardian announces that it will no longer accept advertising from oil and gas companies, becoming the first major global news organisation to institute an outright ban on taking money from the fossil fuel industry.
• * The European Parliament ratifies the Brexit withdrawal agreement in Brussels, ensuring that if the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, as scheduled, at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020, they will do so with a deal.
• 31 January
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The first two cases of coronavirus in the United Kingdom are confirmed.
• *The United Kingdom leaves the European Union, beginning an 11-month transition period, during which they remain in the Single Market and Customs Union.

  February

• 1 February – Austria, Germany, and Slovenia confirm they will not extradite their nationals if they are accused of crimes in the UK.
• 2 February – A man is shot dead by police in South London after a stabbing attack on Streatham High Road; police treat the incident as terrorist-related.
• 4 February – In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, naturalist Sir David Attenborough, and Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte launch the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties, a major UN climate summit to be held in Glasgow in November 2020. Johnson announces, subject to consultation, that coal power could be phased out by 2024, a year earlier than previously planned and the phase-out of new petrol and diesel vehicles could be brought forward from 2040 to 2035. He also reaffirms the UK's commitment to reaching net zero carbon by 2050.
• 6 February – COVID-19 in the UK: A third case of coronavirus is confirmed in the UK.
• 7 February – Buckingham Palace announces that the wedding of Princess Beatrice of York and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi will take place on 29 May.
• 8–9 February – Storm Ciara hits the United Kingdom, bringing winds of up to.
• 9 February – A British Airways Boeing 747 aircraft makes the fastest ever subsonic New York JFK to London Heathrow crossing, achieved in 4 hours 56 minutes. It reaches ground speeds of up to 825 mph by riding the jet stream bringing Storm Ciara to the UK.
• 10 February
• *The government confirms it has begun to study the feasibility of a Scotland-Northern Ireland bridge, with project cost estimates of £15–20bn.
• *In a "historic" decision, councillors reject a proposed expansion of Bristol Airport, by 18 votes to seven, on the grounds that it would exacerbate climate change, damage the health of local people, and harm flora and fauna.
• 11 February
• *In the wake of the Streatham stabbing, the Terrorist Offenders Bill, designed to end the early release of prisoners convicted of terrorist offences, is presented to parliament.
• *Following a review of the project, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces that the controversial high-speed rail link HS2 will be built.
• 12 February
• *The Terrorist Offenders Bill passes unopposed through the House of Commons to complete the first stage of the process to becoming law.
• *The government announces plans to extend the remit of the media regulator Ofcom to include internet and social media content in the UK.
• 13 February
• *Boris Johnson carries out a cabinet reshuffle.
• *Sajid Javid resigns as Chancellor of the Exchequer. He is succeeded by Rishi Sunak.
• 16 February – Storm Dennis: A record high number of flood warnings are declared over England, with 600 in place by the evening. Police declare major incidents in a number of regions, including south Wales, after towns and villages north of Cardiff receive more than a month's worth of rainfall in 24 hours.
• 17 February – Business and Energy Secretary and COP26 President Alok Sharma announces £1.2 billion in funding for a new supercomputer to improve weather and climate models in the UK.
• 20 February – A new £20 polymer banknote enters circulation. Featuring the face of artist JMW Turner, it joins the updated and more secure £5 and £10 notes that were introduced in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
• 25 February – A landmark study shows that life expectancy in England has stalled for the first time in more than 100 years and that health inequalities are growing wider than a decade ago. The study said that this can largely be attributed to the UK government's austerity policies.
• 27 February
• *Campaigners win a Court of Appeal ruling over controversial plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, on environmental grounds.
• *A study is released that links increases in psychological distress and clinical depression with Universal Credit.
• 28 February – COVID-19 in the UK: The first British death from the disease is confirmed by the Japanese Health Ministry; a man quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.
• 29 February
• *The Home Office's top civil servant, Sir Philip Rutnam, resigns and says he plans to claim constructive dismissal by the government following a series of clashes with the Home Secretary, Priti Patel.
• *Boris Johnson announces that he and his partner, Carrie Symonds are expecting a baby in the summer, and that they are engaged.
• *This month has been the wettest February in the UK since records began in 1862 with an average of 209.1mm of rainfall.

  March

• 2 March – COVID-19 in the UK: The government holds a COBRA meeting to discuss its preparations and response to the coronavirus, as the number of UK cases jumps to 36.
• 3 March – COVID-19 in the UK: The government publishes its action plan for dealing with coronavirus. This includes scenarios ranging from a milder pandemic to a "severe prolonged pandemic as experienced in 1918" and warns that a fifth of the national workforce could be absent from work during the infection's peak.
• 5 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The airline Flybe collapses into administration, due in part to the impact of the coronavirus.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The first death from coronavirus in the UK is confirmed, as the number of cases exceeds 100, with a total of 115 having tested positive. England's Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, tells MPs that the UK has now moved to the second stage of dealing with COVID-19 – from "containment" to the "delay" phase.
• 6 March – COVID-19 in the UK: The Prime Minister announces £46 million in funding for research into a coronavirus vaccine and rapid diagnostic tests. During a visit to a laboratory in Bedfordshire, he says: "It looks like there will be a substantial period of disruption where we have to deal with this outbreak."
• 8 March – COVID-19 in the UK: A third death from coronavirus is reported, at North Manchester General Hospital, as the number of cases in the UK reaches 273, the largest single-day increase so far.
• 9 March – COVID-19 in the UK: The FTSE 100 plunges by more than 8 percent, its largest intraday fall since 2008, amid concerns over the spread of COVID-19.
• 10 March – COVID-19 in the UK: Health minister Nadine Dorries tests positive for coronavirus.
• 11 March
• *The Bank of England cuts its baseline interest rate from 0.75% to 0.25%, back down to the lowest level in history.
• *Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, presents the Johnson Government's first budget, which includes £30 billion in measures to protect the economy from coronavirus.
• 12 March – Following a series of recent major falls, the FTSE 100 plunges yet again, this time by over 10%, its biggest drop since 1987. Other markets around the world are similarly affected by ongoing economic turmoil.
• 13 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Premier League 2019–2020 season is suspended, amid a growing list of worldwide sporting cancellations and postponements due to COVID-19.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Elections including the English local elections, London mayoral election and police and crime commissioner elections, scheduled for May 2020, are postponed for a year because of the coronavirus.
• 14 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: A further 10 people are reported to have died from COVID-19, almost doubling the UK death toll from 11 to 21. The government's aim for a "herd immunity" approach generates controversy.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence, announces the US is to extend its European coronavirus travel ban to include the UK from 16 March.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: UK retailers release a joint letter asking customers not to panic buy products after some supermarkets sell out of items such as pasta, hand gel and toilet paper.
• 15 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Foreign Office advises against "all but essential travel" to the US.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Health Secretary Matt Hancock says that every UK resident over the age of 70 will be told "within the coming weeks" to self-isolate for "a very long time" to shield them from coronavirus.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The government announces plans to hold daily televised press conferences to update the public on the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, starting on Monday 16 March.
• 16 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reaches 55, with the number of cases of the illness passing 1,500.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson advises everyone in the UK against "non-essential" travel and contact with others to curb coronavirus, as well as suggesting people should avoid pubs, clubs and theatres, and work from home if possible. Pregnant women, people over the age of 70 and those with certain health conditions are urged to consider the advice "particularly important", and will be asked to self-isolate within days.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The BBC delays its planned changes to TV licences for the over-75s from June to August because of the pandemic.
• 17 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: NHS England announces that all non-urgent operations in England will be postponed from 15 April to free up 30,000 beds to help tackle the coronavirus.
• *Hashem Abedi, brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi, is found guilty of murdering 22 people in 2017.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announces that £330bn will be made available in loan guarantees for businesses affected by the coronavirus.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK coronavirus-related death toll rises to 71, while the number of confirmed cases of the illness rises to 1,950.
• 18 March
• *Pound sterling falls below $1.18, its lowest level since 1985. Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey, commenting on the UK and wider economic situation, says: "It's obviously an emergency. I think we're living in completely unparalleled times... It's going to be a very big downturn – we know that."
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK death toll from coronavirus exceeds 100, with 32 new cases taking the total to 104.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Schools in all four countries of the United Kingdom will shut from the afternoon of Friday 20 March, except for those looking after the children of keyworkers and vulnerable children, and no exams will take place in England and Wales this academic year.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The 50th anniversary Glastonbury Festival is cancelled as a result of the pandemic.
• *The government announces emergency legislation to bring in a complete ban on new evictions for three months as part of measures to help protect renters in social and private rented accommodation.
• 19 March – In an emergency move, the Bank of England cuts interest rates again, from 0.25% to just 0.1%. This is the lowest ever in the Bank's 325-year history.
• 20 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Northwick Park Hospital in Harrow declares a "critical incident" due to a surge in patients with coronavirus.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces that the government will pay 80% of wages for employees not working, up to £2,500 a month, as part of "unprecedented" measures to protect people's jobs.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson orders all cafes, pubs and restaurants to close from the evening of 20 March, except for take-away food, to tackle coronavirus. All the UK's nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres are told to close "as soon as they reasonably can".
• 21 March – COVID-19 in the UK: Environment Secretary George Eustice urges shoppers to stop panic buying, as supermarkets around the UK struggle to keep up with demand. Tesco, Asda, Aldi, and Lidl are reported to have begun a recruitment drive for up to 30,000 new staff.
• 22 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Nursing and Midwifery Council announces that more than 5,600 former nurses have registered to offer their services in the fight against coronavirus.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson warns that "tougher measures" may be introduced if people do not follow government advice on social distancing.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The virus claims its youngest victim so far with the death of an eighteen-year-old with underlying health problems.
• 23 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The government announces emergency measures to safeguard the nation's rail network, with season ticket holders given refunds if working from home, and rail franchise agreements nationalised for at least six months to prevent rail companies from collapsing.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Pride in London, the UK's largest LGBT Pride festival, scheduled for 27 June, is the latest event to be postponed. It is one of a hundred pride events to be postponed or cancelled in the UK.
• *Alex Salmond is cleared of sexually assaulting nine women while he was Scotland's First Minister.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: In a televised address, Boris Johnson announces a UK-wide lockdown with immediate effect, to contain the spread of the coronavirus. People can leave their homes only for "very limited purposes" – shopping for basic necessities; for one form of exercise a day; for any medical need; and to travel to and from work when "absolutely necessary". A number of other restrictions are imposed, with police given powers to enforce the measures, including the use of fines.
• 24 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK records its highest number of coronavirus deaths in one day, after another 87 people die across the country, bringing the total to 422.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: For the first time, all of the UK's mobile networks send out a government text alert, ordering people to stay at home. The message reads: "GOV.UK CORONAVIRUS ALERT. New rules in force now: you must stay at home. More info and exemptions at gov.uk/coronavirus Stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives."
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Health secretary Matt Hancock announces the government will open a temporary hospital, the NHS Nightingale Hospital London at the Excel London, to add extra critical care capacity in response to coronavirus pandemic.
• 25 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prince Charles tests positive for COVID-19.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Parliament shuts down for a month.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: British Transport Police deploys 500 officers to patrol the UK's rail network, in an effort to discourage non-essential journeys. New measures are also introduced on the London Underground to reduce passenger numbers.
• 26 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The government announces that the self-employed will be paid 80% of profits, up to £2,500 a month, to help them cope during the economic crisis triggered by COVID-19.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: At 8pm, millions of people around the country take part in a "Clap for our Carers" tribute, applauding the NHS and other care workers. The gesture is repeated every Thursday during the coronavirus pandemic.
• 27 March
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson tests positive for COVID-19, and will self-isolate in 10 Downing Street.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Health Secretary Matt Hancock tests positive for COVID-19 and reports that he is working from home and self-isolating.
• 31 March – COVID-19 in the UK: A significant rise in anxiety and depression among the UK population is reported following the lockdown. The study, by researchers from the University of Sheffield and Ulster University, finds that people reporting anxiety increased from 17% to 36%, while those reporting depression increased from 16% to 38%.

  April

• 1 April
• *The contactless payment limit for in-store spending is raised from £30 to £45.
• *The UK's National Living Wage rises from £8.21 to £8.72, an increase of 6.2%.
• *The 26th session of the Conference of the Parties, a major UN climate summit which was to be held in Glasgow in November 2020, is postponed until 2021 due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
• 3 April – COVID-19 in the UK: NHS Nightingale Hospital London, the first temporary critical care hospital to treat COVID-19 patients, opens at the ExCel centre in East London, employing NHS staff and military personnel, with a bed capacity of up to 4,000. It is the first of several temporary critical care hospitals planned across the UK.
• 4 April – The results of the 2020 Labour Party leadership election and the 2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election are announced, in which Keir Starmer is elected as the leader of the Labour Party, succeeding Jeremy Corbyn, and Angela Rayner is elected as deputy leader of the party.
• 5 April
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Queen Elizabeth II makes a rare broadcast to the UK and the wider Commonwealth, something she has done on only four previous occasions. In the address she thanks people for following the government's social distancing rules and pays tribute to key workers, and says the UK "will succeed" in its fight against coronavirus but may have "more still to endure".
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson is admitted to hospital for tests after testing positive for coronavirus ten days earlier.
• 6 April
• *Debenhams, one of the UK's largest and oldest department stores, goes into administration for the second time in a year.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The death toll from COVID-19 in the UK exceeds 5,000. The total number of reported cases is nearly 52,000.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson is taken into intensive care after being admitted to hospital for coronavirus the day before. It is announced that First Secretary of State Dominic Raab will deputise for him.
• 8 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The Resolution Foundation, using figures from the British Chambers of Commerce, reports that more than nine million workers are expected to be furloughed under the government's job retention scheme, with an estimated cost to the taxpayer of between £30 and 40bn.
• 9 April
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab says the UK is "starting to see the impact" of the restrictions but that it is "too early" to lift them, and urges people to stay indoors over the Easter weekend.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson is moved out of intensive care, but remains in hospital.
• 11 April – COVID-19 in the UK: Queen Elizabeth II makes her first ever Easter message to the nation, in which she states "coronavirus will not overcome us" and that "we need Easter as much as ever."
• 12 April
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson is discharged from hospital after being treated for coronavirus and will continue his recovery at Chequers.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people who died in hospital with coronavirus in the UK passes 10,000, after a daily rise of 737.
• 16 April
• *A 99-year-old war veteran, Tom Moore, raises over £13 million for NHS Charities Together after walking more than 100 laps of his garden, with hundreds of thousands of people donating to his JustGiving page.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announces a three-week extension to the nationwide lockdown measures as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the UK surpasses 100,000.
• 19 April – COVID-19 in the UK: Michael Gove, in a BBC interview with Andrew Marr, concedes that the Prime Minister missed five COBRA meetings in the early stages of the viral outbreak, and that the UK shipped protective equipment to China in February.
• 20 April – COVID-19 in the UK: Scotland's new temporary coronavirus hospital NHS Louisa Jordan is now ready to receive COVID-19 patients.
• 21 April – COVID-19 in the UK: Data from the Office for National Statistics show the number of deaths in England and Wales has risen to its highest in 20 years. Figures show 18,500 deaths were recorded in the week up to 10 April, 8,000 more than usual for this time of year, with one in three linked to COVID-19.
• 22 April
• *MPs take part in the first "virtual" Prime Minister's Questions, via Zoom.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says it is likely the UK will have to live under some disruptive social distancing measures for at least the rest of the year.
• 23 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The first human trial in Europe of a coronavirus vaccine begins in Oxford.
• 24 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The government launches a website for key workers to apply for coronavirus tests at drive-through centres and for home delivery.
• 25 April – COVID-19 in the UK: The number of people who died in hospital with coronavirus in the UK exceeds 20,000.
• *27 April
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson returns to work after three weeks of illness. In his first speech outside 10 Downing Street since recovering from coronavirus, he urges the public not to lose patience with the lockdown, warning that the UK is at the moment of "maximum risk".
• *COVID-19 in the UK: NHS Nightingale Hospital Bristol is opened in a virtual ceremony by Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and the chief executive of NHS England, Simon Stevens.
• 28 April
• *COVID-19 in the UK: A minute's silence is held across the UK to commemorate the key workers who have died with coronavirus.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Figures from the Office for National Statistics show a third of deaths in England and Wales from coronavirus are occurring in care homes, with 2,000 recorded in the week up to 17 April.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Scottish Government recommends that people cover their faces in certain enclosed public spaces like shops and public transport. UK ministers are reported to be considering the issue.
• 29 April
• *Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée, Carrie Symonds announce that she has given birth to Wilfred Lawrie Nicholas Johnson in the early hours of the morning.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK death toll from the virus becomes the second highest in Europe at 26,097.
• 30 April
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson says the UK is "past the peak" of the coronavirus outbreak, but that the country must not "risk a second spike", and announces that he will set out a "comprehensive plan" to restart the economy "next week".
• *Clothing brands Oasis and Warehouse close with the loss of 1,800 more jobs after going into administration in mid-April 2020.

  May

• 4 May
• *MP Conor Burns resigns as Minister of State for Trade Policy after a report found he used his position as an MP to intimidate a member of the public.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The ONS reports that more than 25 million people – 49.6% of over-16s in Britain – rated their anxiety as "high" after the lockdown, more than double the number who did so in December 2019. Overall measures of well-being are reported to be at their lowest levels since records began in 2011.
• 5 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK death toll from COVID-19 becomes the highest in Europe at 32,313 after exceeding the death toll of 29,029 in Italy.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Trials of an NHS contact-tracing app start on the Isle of Wight with the app being made available to healthcare and council workers.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: NHS Nightingale Hospital North East, a temporary critical care hospital built near Sunderland for COVID-19 patients, is officially opened by Health Secretary Matt Hancock. The virtual ceremony features TV celebrities Ant and Dec, football pundit Alan Shearer and cricketer Ben Stokes.
• *Professor Neil Ferguson, a prominent scientific adviser to the government, resigns from the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies after apparently behaving contrary to the government's messages on social distancing by meeting his "married lover".
• 6 May – The National Assembly for Wales becomes Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament.
• 7 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The government confirms that 400,000 gowns ordered from Turkey to protect NHS staff from coronavirus have been impounded, after failing to meet the required safety standards.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Bank of England warns that the economy is on course to shrink by 14% in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19, pushing the UK into its deepest recession on record.
• *Mobile operator O2 and broadband giant Virgin Media announce a merger.
• 10 May – COVID-19 in the UK: The government reveals that its lockdown slogan "Stay Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives." is to be replaced, in England, with the new message, "Stay alert. Control the virus. Save lives", while Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are sticking with "stay at home". A new alert scale system for England is also announced, ranging from green to red, similar to the UK's Terror Threat Levels.
• 12 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The official death toll from COVID-19 exceeds 40,000 – including almost 10,000 care home residents.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK furlough scheme is extended until October, with employees continuing to receive 80% of their monthly wages up to £2,500. A quarter of the workforce, some 7.5 million people, are now covered by the scheme, costing £14bn a month.
• 18 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Loss of smell or taste are added to the UK's official list of coronavirus symptoms that people should look out for and self-isolate with.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Testing for the virus is extended to everyone aged five and over in the UK with symptoms. Health Secretary Matt Hancock announces that 100,678 tests were conducted the previous day.
• 19 May
• *Captain Tom Moore, who raised £32m for NHS charities, is to be knighted for his fundraising efforts following a special nomination from Boris Johnson.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Cambridge University becomes the first UK institution to announce it is moving all lectures online until summer 2021.
• 20 May – COVID-19 in the UK: Rolls-Royce announce plans to cut 9,000 jobs as a result of the pandemic, predominantly affecting its UK base in Derby, and warns that it could take "several years" for the airline industry to recover.
• 21 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Antibody tests to check if someone has had coronavirus will be made available on the NHS after a deal is agreed between the government and the pharmaceutical company, Roche.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The NHS Confederation warns that time is running out to finalise a test, track and trace strategy to avoid a possible second wave in coronavirus cases.
• * A surcharge for overseas NHS staff and care workers to use the health service is scrapped after mounting pressure from MPs.
• 22 May – COVID-19 in the UK: The Office for National Statistics reports that government borrowing rose to £62bn in April, the highest monthly figure on record, after heavy spending to ease the coronavirus crisis.
• 23 May – Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson's senior adviser, faces calls to resign after a joint investigation by the Daily Mirror and The Guardian alleges that he travelled 260 miles from London to his parents' home in Durham, and whilst he was displaying coronavirus symptoms, during lockdown.
• 24 May – After The Observer and the Sunday Mirror print allegations that Dominic Cummings made a second trip to the North East during lockdown, Boris Johnson expresses his support for his senior adviser during the government's coronavirus daily briefing, saying he had acted "responsibly, legally and with integrity".
• 25 May – Dominic Cummings says "I don't regret what I did" as he addresses criticism for his actions in an unprecedented public statement from a senior adviser in the 10 Downing Street Rose Garden.
• 26 May – Junior minister Douglas Ross resigns, saying that Dominic Cummings' view on lockdown guidance is "not shared by the vast majority of people who have done as the government asked."
• 27 May – Boris Johnson appears before the House of Commons Liaison Committee for the first time, during which he rules out an inquiry into Dominic Cummings' actions during lockdown.
• 28 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon announces an easing of the lockdown in Scotland from the following day with people able to meet friends and family outside in groups of no more than eight, but keeping two metres apart.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Contact tracing systems go live in England and Scotland – NHS Test and Trace in England and Test and Protect in Scotland.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: EasyJet announces plans to cut up to 4,500 jobs as it struggles with a collapse in air travel caused by the pandemic.
• *The government approves Cleve Hill Solar Park on the north Kent coast, the UK's biggest ever solar farm at 900 acres in size and 350MW of capacity, enough to power over 91,000 homes.
• *Durham Constabulary conclude that no offence had been committed by Dominic Cummings in travelling from London to Durham during lockdown. They also say that a minor breach of the lockdown rules might have occurred at Barnard Castle, but because there was no apparent breach of the social distancing rules, no further action would be taken.
• 29 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirms that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will end at the end of October, with employers having to pay National Insurance and pension contributions from August, 10% of pay from September, and then 20% in October.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford announces an easing of lockdown restrictions in Wales from 1 June, allowing people from two different households to meet outdoors whilst socially distancing.
• 30 May – COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson announces a relaxing of restrictions in England for the 2.2 million clinically extremely vulnerable individuals who have been "shielding" in their homes, allowing them to spend time outdoors for the first time in ten weeks from 1 June.
• 31 May
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab defends the government's decision to ease lockdown restrictions after concerns from scientists that there could be a new spike in coronavirus infections, insisting that England "can't just stay in lockdown forever".
• *Thousands of people gather in London, Manchester and Cardiff to protest against the death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man who died while being arrested by police in the U.S.
• *May 2020 is reported as the sunniest on recent record in the UK, with 266 hours of sunshine. It is also the warmest and driest May ever recorded, beating the previous record set in 2018. The Met Office confirms that Spring 2020 as a whole broke numerous other records.

  June

• 1 June – COVID-19 in the UK: Some primary schools in England reopen to more pupils from Reception, Year One and Year Six, with head teachers reporting "highly variable" levels of attendance ranging from 40 to 70%.
• 2 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The Guardian calculated death toll from COVID-19 is 50,032. Meanwhile, Reuters give the figure as 49,646.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Public Health England releases its "Disparities in the risk and outcomes of COVID-19" report, finding that age, gender, health and ethnicity are significant factors in determining the outcome following COVID-19 infection.
• *"Black Out Tuesday" is held to highlight racial injustice and anti-racism in response to George Floyd's death.
• 3 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Home Secretary Priti Patel confirms plans to force almost all arrivals to the UK to self-isolate for 14 days from 8 June, and warns that failure to adhere to quarantine conditions in England could result in a £1,000 fine or prosecution.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Business Secretary Alok Sharma, after sweating profusely during a statement to the Commons self-isolates at home, but tests negative for COVID-19 a day later.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: A significant increase in sleep problems among the UK population is reported by King's College London researchers, attributed to the ongoing effects of the lockdown.
• 4 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announces that wearing face coverings will be made compulsory on public transport in England from 15 June.
• *German prosecutors say that they believe Madeleine McCann is dead, and are investigating a 43-year-old German convicted sex offender, identified as Christian B, on suspicion of murder.
• 5 June – The BBC announces Tim Davie as its new Director-General, effective from 1 September 2020.
• 6 June – Thousands turn out for continued anti-racism protests across the UK in London, Manchester, Cardiff, Leicester and Sheffield following the death of George Floyd, despite calls from Health Secretary Matt Hancock for people not to attend mass demonstrations in breach of lockdown rules.
• 7 June – A statue of 17th century merchant, slave trader, MP and philanthropist Edward Colston is pulled down by anti-racism protesters in Bristol.
• 8 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: BP announces plans to cut 10,000 jobs following a global drop in demand for oil.
• *Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledges the "undeniable feeling of injustice" motivating anti-racism protests caused by the killing of George Floyd, but urges the country to "work peacefully, lawfully" to defeat racism and discrimination, and condemns those who have flouted social distancing rules to attend them during a time of "national trial".
• 9 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Education Secretary Gavin Williamson drops plans for all primary school children in England to return to school before the end of the summer term.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Figures released by the Treasury show that 8.9 million workers are now covered by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, more than a quarter of the UK workforce, costing £19.6bn to date.
• *A statue of slave owner Robert Milligan is removed from outside the Museum of London Docklands, after mayor Sadiq Khan announces a review of all of London's statues and street names, saying any with links to slavery "should be taken down".
• 10 June – COVID-19 in the UK: The OECD says the UK economy is likely to be the hardest-hit by COVID-19 among developed countries, with a projected economic slump of 11.5% in 2020.
• 11 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Figures from the Department of Health show that in NHS Test and Trace's first week of operation, 31,700 contacts were identified, of whom 26,900 were reached and asked to self-isolate.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Centrica, the owner of British Gas, announces plans to cut 5,000 jobs by the end of 2020 in order to "arrest the decline" of the company.
• 12 June – COVID-19 in the UK: Figures released by the Office for National Statistics show that the UK economy shrunk by 20.4% in April, the largest monthly contraction on record.
• 13 June – Large crowds, including far-right protesters, clash with police in central London, in response to recent anti-racism rallies and the tearing down of statues.
• 15 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Long queues of shoppers are reported across England as all non-essential retailers are allowed to reopen.
• *A man who was pictured urinating next to a Parliament Square memorial dedicated to PC Keith Palmer, is sentenced to 14 days in prison for outraging public decency.
• *Boris Johnson announces plans to create a cross-government commission to examine racial inequality and the disparities experienced by minority ethnic groups in education, health and the criminal justice system.
• *A major search and rescue operation is launched as a F-15C Eagle fighter jet from the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, crashes into the North Sea. The pilot is later found dead.
• 16 June
• *Boris Johnson announces the merging of the Department for International Development with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to create the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The University of Oxford reports that a major trial of dexamethasone – a cheap, widely available corticosteroid medication – shows it can significantly reduce mortality in COVID-19 patients.
• 19 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK's coronavirus alert level is downgraded from four to three, meaning the virus remains in general circulation but transmission is no longer "high or rising exponentially."
• *The UK's national debt exceeds 100% of GDP for the first time since 1963.
• 20 June – A 25-year-old man is arrested on suspicion of murder after three people are killed and three others are seriously injured during a mass stabbing in Forbury Gardens in Reading. Police later say they are treating the attack as terrorist-related.
• 21 June – Two people are killed in a double shooting incident after a secret street rave in the Manchester neighbourhood of Moss Side.
• 23 June – COVID-19 in the UK: Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces an easing of the two-metre rule in England in favour of a “1-metre-plus” approach so two different households will be able to eat, drink or dine together from 4 July as long as they stick to physical-distancing guidelines. Households will also be able to visit each other which includes staying overnight.
• 24 June – 22 police officers are injured and their vehicles damaged after breaking up an "unlicensed music event" in Brixton. Four people are arrested.
• 25 June
• *COVID-19 in the UK: A major incident is declared by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council after thousands of people arrive on beaches and other stretches of the Dorset coast, ignoring requests to stay away.
• *Rebecca Long-Bailey is sacked from the Shadow Cabinet after sharing an article on Twitter that "contained an antisemitic conspiracy theory."
• *The UK experiences its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures reaching as high as 33.3 °C.
• *Liverpool F.C. are confirmed as champions of 2019–20 Premier League after Manchester City lose at Chelsea, meaning that Liverpool now have an unassailable 23-point lead with 7 matches left to play. It is their first League Title for 30 years, 19th overall, and first Premier League title.
• 26 June
• *A man is shot dead by police after six people, including a police officer, are seriously injured during a mass stabbing in the Park Inn Hotel in Glasgow city centre.
• *Jonty Bravery, 18, is jailed for 15 years after throwing a six-year-old boy off a 200 ft balcony at London's Tate Modern gallery, leaving him with a bleed to the brain and life-changing injuries.
• *Shopping centre owner, Intu, whose portfolio includes Merry Hill in the West Midlands and the Trafford Centre in Manchester, falls into administration after failing to secure an agreement with its creditors.
• 27 June – Kate Green is appointed by Keir Starmer as Shadow Secretary of State for Education, replacing Rebecca Long-Bailey.
• 29 June – COVID-19 in the UK: Following a spike in COVID-19 cases in Leicester, the UK's first full local lockdown is introduced in the city, with non-essential retailers told to shut from the following day and schools told to close from 2 July.
• 30 June – The government announces that rental e-scooters in the UK will be made legal from 4 July as a coronavirus-proof alternative to public transport whilst, privately owned e-scooters will remain illegal. This will be a rapid acceleration to a plan, first announced in March where scooters would be allowed in only four “future transport zones”: Portsmouth and Southampton, the West of England Combined Authority, Derby and Nottingham, and the West Midlands.

  July

• 1 July
• *Prime Minister Boris Johnson denounces China's imposition of a controversial national security law on Hong Kong as a violation of its treaty with the UK, and announces plans to extend the British National rights of up to 3 million Hong Kong residents born under British rule and open a route for them to become British citizens.
• *"No DSS" letting bans are ruled unlawful by a judge in York County Court.
• 2 July – The National Crime Agency reports that a Europe-wide operation lasting over three months, which involved the interception of messages on EncroChat, has had the biggest impact on organised crime gangs it has ever seen. More than 800 arrests are reported, including major crime figures, with over two tonnes of drugs, several dozen guns and £54m in suspect cash being seized.
• 4 July – COVID-19 in the UK: A major easing of the lockdown in England – subject to modified physical distancing conditions – allows the reopening of bingo halls, cinemas, galleries, hairdressers, hotels, pubs, restaurants and theme parks.
• 6 July
• *The government announces a £1.57bn support package to help UK theatres, galleries, museums and other arts/cultural venues during the economic downturn.
• *The UK is warned by China not to interfere with its new Hong Kong national security law and to stop "making irresponsible remarks on Hong Kong affairs."
• 7 July – The government announces that it will resume arms sales to Saudi Arabia after a review finds "no clear risk" that they would be used in violation of international humanitarian law. Sales had been suspended in 2019 after a legal challenge by campaigners.
• 8 July – COVID-19 in the UK: Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveils a £30bn spending package aimed at mitigating the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a temporary reduction in VAT for the hospitality sector, a scheme to pay firms £1,000 for each employee brought back from furlough, a scheme to get young people into employment, and a temporary rise in the stamp duty threshold.
• 9 July – COVID-19 in the UK: Boots and John Lewis announce job losses as a result of the pandemic, with Boots cutting 4,000 jobs, while John Lewis says it is shutting down eight of its stores, putting 1,300 jobs at risk.
• 10 July
• * COVID-19 in the UK: Face coverings in shops and supermarkets become mandatory in Scotland.
• *Brexit: Plans are revealed for the emergency purchase of a 1.2m square foot "Mojo" site near Ashford, Kent, to be used for a new customs clearance centre for the 10,000 lorries crossing the English Channel to Calais every day.
• 11 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Further easing of the lockdown is introduced in England, as outdoor pools and water parks are allowed to reopen, while indoor gyms, pools and leisure centres can reopen from 25 July.
• *Two members of Animal Rebellion are arrested on suspicion for criminal damage after releasing red dye into Trafalgar Square fountains.
• 13 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The remainder of The Health Protection Regulations 2020 comes into effect, allowing the re-opening of nail bars and salons, spas and beauty salons, massage parlours, tattoo parlours, and body and skin piercing services.
• *Work begins on the Viking Link, a 475-mile submarine power cable between England and Denmark, set to become the world's longest interconnector upon its completion in 2023.
• 14 July – UK mobile providers are ordered to remove 5G equipment by Chinese firm Huawei from networks by 2027, over security fears.
• 15 July – The government announces that citizens of the EU living in England will be able to vote in the 2021 local elections postponed from 2020.
• 17 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Boris Johnson announces further easing of lockdown restrictions, with plans for a "significant return to normality" by Christmas. The new rules allow people to use public transport for non-essential journeys with immediate effect, while employers will have more discretion over their workplaces from 1 August. From 18 July, local authorities will have the power to enforce local lockdowns.
• *Princess Beatrice marries Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi during a private ceremony at the Royal Chapel of All Saints, after being delayed due to the pandemic.
• *British Airways retires its fleet of 31 Boeing 747 aircraft, a move previously planned for 2024.
• 20 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Clinical trials of the coronavirus vaccine being developed by the University of Oxford on 1,077 patients show that it appears to be safe, and trains the immune system to produce COVID-19 antibodies.
• *Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announces that the government will suspend its extradition treaty with Hong Kong "immediately and indefinitely" over the controversial national security law.
• *MPs vote against New Clause 11, which intended to protect and maintain standards on animal health and welfare, food safety and the environment in the UK in any post-Brexit trade deal, by 337 votes to 251.
• *MPs vote against New Clause 17, which intended to protect the NHS and publicly funded health and care services in other parts of the UK from any form of control from outside the UK.
• 21 July – The Intelligence and Security Committee publishes a long-delayed Russia report on Russian influence over UK politics. It shows that the government and intelligence agencies both failed to prepare or conduct any proper assessment of Kremlin attempts to interfere with the 2016 Brexit referendum.
• 22 July – The UK and US agree to amend an "anomaly" that allowed Harry Dunn death suspect Anne Sacoolas to claim diplomatic immunity.
• 24 July – COVID-19 in the UK: Face coverings in shops and supermarkets become mandatory in England.
• 25 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Following a rise in COVID-19 cases in Spain, and concerns of a second wave, the UK government and the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, announce that travellers returning from Spain will be required to quarantine for 14 days from 26 July.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Public Health England warns that being obese and overweight puts people at greater risk of severe illness or death as a result of COVID-19.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: Indoor gyms, swimming pools and sports facilities in England reopen in the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown.
• *Police investigate grime artist Wiley over a series of antisemitic posts on his social media accounts, in which he describes Jewish people as "cowards" and "snakes" and compares them to the KKK. Home Secretary Priti Patel later probes Twitter and Instagram on their delay in removing the "abhorrent" posts.
• 27 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The UK's Chief Veterinary Officer confirms that SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, has been detected in a pet cat - the first known case of infection in an animal in the UK.
• *The government announces a ban on junk food advertising before 21:00 for the whole UK, along with restrictions in England on how foods high in fat and sugar can be promoted in-store, and new rules for displaying calories on menus.
• 29 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The government signs a deal with GSK and Sanofi to provide 60 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine. This follows three previous deals with other companies, taking the UK's potential vaccine availability to 250 million doses.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James completes his 'Up Yours Corona' challenge by getting 193 countries in the world to tell coronavirus to "do one" in one week.
• 30 July
• *Argos announces an end to its printed catalogue after almost 50 years of publication.
• *COVID-19 in the UK: The isolation period for those with coronavirus symptoms is extended from seven to 10 days, in line with guidance from the World Health Organisation.
• *Former Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke is found guilty of sexually assaulting two women, in 2007 and 2016. His wife Natalie Elphicke, Dover MP, says the verdict has ended their marriage.
• *With a series of opinion polls showing majority support for Scottish independence, Jackson Carlaw resigns as leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionists after only 6 months in the job.
• 31 July
• *COVID-19 in the UK: A further easing of the lockdown in England, due to begin on 1st August, is postponed for at least two weeks, amid concerns over an increase in coronavirus cases.
• *The UK experiences its hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures of 37.8°C recorded in London.
• *The UK records its first case of babesiosis, a rare tick-borne disease.

  August

• 1 August
• *The BBC ends free television licensing for the over-75s.
• *An unnamed Conservative MP and former minister, described as a man in his 50s, is arrested on suspicion of rape.

  Predicted and scheduled events

• 30 July to 26 August – Liberal Democrats leadership election.
• August 2020 – Green Party of England and Wales leadership election.
• 31 December – The current expiration to the transition period, and deadline for negotiations on a future UK-EU relationship, after Brexit.

  Deaths

January

• 1 January
• *Chris Barker, 39, English footballer.
• *Alexander Frater, 82, travel writer and journalist.
• 3 January
• *Derek Acorah, 69, self-styled spiritual medium and television personality.
• *Christopher Beeny, 78, actor.
• 4 January
• *Guy Arnold, 87, explorer and writer.
• *Sir Jack Baldwin, 81, chemist.
• 5 January
• *James Barber, 79, biochemist.
• *Colin Howson, 74–75, philosopher.
• *Sir Michael Stear, 81, RAF air chief marshal.
• 6 January
• *Ray Byrom, 85, English footballer.
• *Danny Masterton, 65, Scottish footballer.
• *James Mehaffey, 88, Northern Irish Anglican prelate, Bishop of Derry and Raphoe.
• 7 January
• *Gerald Bowden, 84, politician, MP.
• *Stephen Clements, 47, radio personality.
• *Colin Seeley, 84, motorcycle engineer and racer.
• 8 January
• *Peter T. Kirstein, 86, German-born computer scientist.
• *David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, 91, peer and businessman, member of the House of Lords.
• 9 January
• *Tom Alexander, 85, musician.
• *John Brownjohn, 90, literary translator.
• *Jimmy Shields, 88, Northern Irish footballer.
• 10 January
• *Eric Brookes, 75, English footballer
• *Alun Gwynne Jones, Baron Chalfont, 100, politician, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and member of the House of Lords.
• *Roddy Lumsden, 53, poet.
• 12 January
• *Jackie Brown, 84, Scottish boxer, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, British and Commonwealth flyweight champion.
• *Brian Clifton, 85, English footballer
• *Tony Garnett, 83, television and film producer.
• *Sir Roger Scruton, 75, philosopher and writer.
• 13 January
• *Edmund Ironside, 2nd Baron Ironside, 95, peer, naval officer and businessman.
• *Hylda Sims, 87, English folk musician and poet.
• *Gerald Weisfeld, 79, retailer, founder of What Every Woman Wants.
• 15 January
• *Bobby Brown, 96, Scottish Hall of Fame football player and manager.
• *Michael Wheeler, 84, sprinter, Olympic bronze medalist.
• 16 January
• *Alan Pattillo, 90, television director, writer and editor.
• *Christopher Tolkien, 95, academic and editor.
• *Barry Tuckwell, 86, Australia-born French horn player, conductor, and past principal French horn of the London Symphony Orchestra
• 17 January
• *Derek Fowlds, 82, actor.
• *John Klyberg, 88, priest, Bishop of Fulham.
• *Steve Rayner, 66, social scientist.
• 18 January
• *Peter Hobday, 82, journalist and news presenter.
• *Robert Maclennan, Baron Maclennan of Rogart, 83, politician, MP, Leader of the Social Democratic Party and President of the Liberal Democrats.
• 20 January – Mick Vinter, 65, English footballer.
• 21 January – Terry Jones, 77, actor.
• 23 January
• *Robert Archibald, 39, basketball player.
• *Tom Daley, 86, footballer
• 24 January
• *David Adam, 83, priest and author.
• *Seamus Mallon, 83, Northern Irish Gaelic footballer and politician, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland.
• 25 January
• *Meredith Etherington-Smith, 73, fashion journalist.
• *Jordan Sinnott, 25, English footballer, victim of assault.
• 27 January – Derek Edwards, British rugby league player.
• 28 January
• *Paul Farnes, 101, RAF pilot and World War II veteran, last surviving ace of the Battle of Britain.
• *Nicholas Parsons, 96, actor, radio and television presenter, Rector of the University of St Andrews.
• *Peter Rogers, 72, businessman.
• 30 January
• *Dale Jasper, 56, English footballer.
• *William Mitchell, 94, sculptor.
• 31 January
• *Donald J. West, 95, psychiatrist and parapsychologist.
• *Andree Melly, 87, actress,

  February

• 1 February
• *Andy Gill, 64, post-punk guitarist and record producer.
• *Charles Wood, 87, screenwriter.
• 2 February
• *Mad Mike Hoare, 100, mercenary leader.
• *David Lacy-Scott, 99, English cricketer.
• *Robert Sheldon, Baron Sheldon, 96, politician, MP and member of the House of Lords.
• 3 February
• *Robert Alner, 76, Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning racehorse trainer.
• *John Grant, 70, science fiction writer.
• *Roy Walton, 87, card magician.
• 4 February
• *Terry Hands, 79, theatre director.
• *William Oxley, 80, poet and philosopher.
• *Teodor Shanin, 89, Lithuanian-born sociologist.
• 5 February – Gyurme Dorje, 69, Buddhist philosopher.
• 6 February
• *Raphaël Coleman, 25, actor.
• *Jimmy Moran, 84, Scottish footballer.
• 7 February
• *Paul Koralek, 86, Austrian-born architect.
• *Brian Pilkington, 86, English footballer.
• 9 February
• *Sir John Cadogan, 89, organic chemist.
• *Peter McCall, 83, English footballer,
• *Donald Russell, 99, classicist and academic.
• 10 February – Patrick Jordan, 96, actor.
• 11 February – Sammy McCarthy, 88, boxer.
• 12 February
• *Sir Michael Berridge, 81, Zimbabwean-born biochemist.
• *Hamish Milne, 80, pianist.
• 13 February – Zara Steiner, 91, American-born historian and academic.
• 14 February
• *Jimmy Conway, 73, footballer
• *Brian Jackson, 86, English footballer.
• *Godfrey O'Donnell, 80, Northern Irish priest, president of the Irish Council of Churches.
• *John Shrapnel, 77, actor.
• 15 February – Caroline Flack, 40, radio and television presenter, suicide.
• 16 February
• *Pearl Carr, 99, singer.
• *Frances Cuka, 83, actress.
• *Harry Gregg, 87, Northern Irish footballer, Munich air disaster survivor.
• 17 February – Andrew Weatherall, 56, music producer, disc jockey and musician.
• 19 February
• *Heather Couper, 70, astronomer and broadcaster, President of the British Astronomical Association.
• *Wilfred De'ath, 82, journalist.
• 20 February
• *Malcolm Pyke, 81, English footballer.
• *Jimmy Wheeler, 86, English footballer and football manager.
• 22 February – Simon Warr, 65, broadcaster and actor.
• 24 February – Bruce George, 77, politician, MP.
• 26 February – Michael Medwin, 96, actor.
• 27 February – Natasha Reddican, 31, television producer
• 28 February – Freeman Dyson, 96, British-born physicist and mathematician.
• 29 February
• *Fiona MacCarthy, 80, journalist and biographer.
• *Ceri Morgan, 72, darts player.

  March

• 2 March – Bahamian Bounty, 26, racehorse and sire.
• 4 March – David Bentley, 84, Anglican prelate, Bishop of Gloucester.
• 6 March
• *Peter Smith, 76, Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of East Anglia, Archbishop of Cardiff and Southwark.
• *Patrick Wright, Baron Wright of Richmond, 88, diplomat and life peer.
• 7 March
• *John Manners, 105, Royal Navy officer and cricketer.
• *Matthew Watkins, 41, Welsh rugby union player, pelvic cancer.
• 8 March
• *Wayne Bridges, 83, professional wrestler.
• *Ernest Davies, 93, politician, MP.
• 9 March
• *Richard K. Guy, 103, mathematician.
• *George Strachan, 87, Scottish cricketer.
• 11 March
• *Michel Roux, 78, French-born chef and restaurateur, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
• *Dave Souter, 79, Scottish footballer.
• 12 March
• *Sir John Chalstrey, 88, surgeon and civic leader, Lord Mayor of London.
• *Alexander Gordon, 7th Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair, 64, Scottish peer.
• *Sir John Lyons, 87, linguist.
• *Pete Mitchell, 61, English radio DJ and presenter.
• 14 March – Genesis P-Orridge, 70, musician and performance artist.
• 15 March – Roy Hudd, 83, actor and comedian.
• 16 March
• *David Briggs, 102, English educator, headmaster of King's College School, Cambridge.
• *Mick Morris, 77, English footballer.
• 17 March
• *Michael Broadbent, 92, wine critic and writer.
• *Betty Williams, 76, Northern Irish political activist, Nobel Prize laureate.
• 18 March
• *Sir John Tooley, 95, opera administrator, general director of the Royal Opera House.
• *Kevin Taylor, 73, English rugby league player.
• 19 March
• *Sir Anthony Pigott, 76, lieutenant general, Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff.
• *Miranda, Countess of Stockton, 72, socialite and model.
• *Richard Tracey, 77, politician, MP.
• *Sir Peter Viggers, 82, lawyer and politician, MP.
• *Peter Whittingham, 35, English footballer.
• 20 March – Mark Andrews, 60, rower.
• 21 March – Ted Graham, Baron Graham of Edmonton, 94, politician, member of Parliament and the House of Lords, Lord Commissioner of the Treasury.
• 22 March
• *Julie Felix, 81, American-born folk singer.
• *Richard Sharpe, 66, historian and academic.
• 23 March
• *David Collings, 79, actor.
• *Tristan Garel-Jones, 79, politician, MP, Minister for Europe and Treasurer of the Household.
• *William Stern, 84, Hungarian-born businessman, first notable British victim of COVID-19.
• 24 March
• *John Campbell-Jones, 90, Formula One driver.
• *Steven Dick, 37, diplomat, Deputy British Ambassador to Hungary, COVID-19.
• *Tony Rutter, 78, motorcycle racer, Formula TT world champion.
• *Gerard Schurmann, 96, Dutch-born composer and conductor.
• 25 March – Jennifer Bate, 75, concert organist.
• 26 March
• *Jenny Clack, 72, palaeontologist.
• *Bill Martin, 81, songwriter and music publisher.
• *Fred Smith, 77, English footballer.
• *Hamish Wilson, 77, actor and radio producer, COVID-19.
• *Jon Wynne-Tyson, 95, publisher, writer and animal rights campaigner.
• 27 March
• *Aneurin Hughes, 83, diplomat.
• *Frank Myler, 81, English rugby league player.
• *Delroy Washington, 67, Jamaican-born reggae singer, COVID-19.
• 28 March
• *Azam Khan, 95, Pakistani-born squash player, COVID-19.
• *Dan McCauley, 84, football chairman.
• 29 March
• *Peter Beaumont, 85, racehorse trainer.
• *James Ramsden, 96, politician, MP, Secretary of State for War and Minister for the Armed Forces.
• *Derek Semmence, 81, English cricketer.
• 30 March
• *Joe Ashton, 86, politician, MP.
• *Alex Forsyth, 91, Scottish footballer
• *John Haselden, 76, English footballer and manager.
• *David Hodgkiss, 71, cricket chairman, COVID-19.
• *Ted Knight, 86, politician, leader of Lambeth London Borough Council.
• 31 March
• *James Gordon, Baron Gordon of Strathblane, 83, businessman, founder of Radio Clyde, COVID-19.
• *Andrew Jack, 76, dialect coach and actor, COVID-19.
• *Arthur Marsh, 72, English footballer
• *Jack Schofield, 72, technology journalist.
• *Peter J. N. Sinclair, 73, economist, COVID-19.
• *Michael Wakelam, 64–65, molecular biologist, COVID-19.

  April

• 1 April
• *Sir James Learmonth Gowans, 95, immunologist.
• *Tony Lewis, 78, English mathematician, co-inventor of cricket's Duckworth–Lewis–Stern method.
• 2 April
• *William Frankland, 108, immunologist.
• *Ron Graham, 93, English-Australian actor.
• *Eddie Large, 78, comedian, COVID-19.
• 3 April
• *Robert Armstrong, Baron Armstrong of Ilminster, 93, civil servant, Cabinet Secretary and Lord Temporal.
• *Tim Robinson, 85, writer and cartographer, COVID-19.
• 4 April
• *Jay Benedict, 68, actor.
• *Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath, 87, peer, politician and artist, Lord Temporal, COVID-19.
• 5 April
• *Honor Blackman, 94, actress.
• *Margaret Burbidge, 100, English-American astronomer.
• *Ray Hiron, 76, English footballer.
• *Sir John Laws, 74, jurist, High Court Judge and Lord Justice of Appeal, COVID-19.
• *John Lucas, 90, philosopher.
• *Dougie Morgan, 73, Scottish rugby union player .
• *Peter Walker, 84, English cricketer.
• 6 April – Black the Ripper, 32, grime MC, rapper and cannabis activist.
• 7 April – Nipper Read, 95, police officer and boxing administrator, COVID-19.
• 8 April – Eileen Croxford Parkhouse, 96, cellist, pedagogue, and founder of the Parkhouse Award.
• 9 April
• *Ida Schuster, 101, actress.
• *Dmitri Smirnov, 71, Russian-born composer, COVID-19.
• *Phyllis Wallbank, 101, educationalist.
• 10 April – Hilary Dwyer, 74, actress, COVID-19.
• 11 April – John Horton Conway, 82, mathematician, COVID-19.
• 12 April
• *Peter Bonetti, 78, English footballer, world champion.
• *Tim Brooke-Taylor, 79, comedian and panelist, COVID-19.
• *Sir Stirling Moss, 90, Hall of Fame Formula One driver.
• 13 April
• *David Corbett, 79, English footballer.
• *Peter Madden, 85, English footballer and football manager.
• *Avrohom Pinter, 71, rabbi and politician, Hackney Borough councillor, COVID-19.
• *Alf Wood, 74, English footballer.
• 14 April
• *Pip Baker, 91, screenwriter.
• *John Collins, 71, Welsh footballer.
• *Cyril Lawrence, 99, English footballer, COVID-19.
• *John Lee, 92, politician, MP.
• *Sir Hugh Rossi, 92, politician, MP and Minister for Social Security.
• *Billy Wright, 89, English footballer.
• *Ron Wylie, 86, Scottish footballer and manager.
• 15 April
• *Sean Arnold, 79, actor.
• *Joe Brown, 89, mountaineer.
• *Sir John Houghton, 88, atmospheric physicist, COVID-19.
• *Bruce Myers, 77–78, actor, comedian, and director.
• 16 April – Peter Phoenix, 83, English footballer.
• 17 April
• *Norman Hunter, 76, English footballer and football manager, world champion, COVID-19.
• *Matthew Seligman, 64, new wave bassist, COVID-19.
• 19 April
• *Terry Doran, 83–84, music manager.
• *Dickie Dowsett, 88, English footballer.
• *Ian Whitcomb, 78, singer-songwriter and author.
• 20 April – Manjeet Singh Riyat, 52, head of emergency care at the Royal Derby Hospital, COVID-19.
• 21 April
• *Dame Ingrid Allen, 87, neuropathologist.
• *Dave Bacuzzi, 79, English footballer and football manager, COVID-19.
• 22 April
• *Sir Eric Anderson, 83, educator, Headmaster and Provost of Eton College.
• *Sid Bishop, 86, English footballer.
• *Terence Frisby, 87, playwright and actor.
• *Jimmy Goodfellow, 76, English footballer and football manager.
• *Sir Peter Jonas, 73, arts administrator and opera director.
• 23 April
• *Peter Gill, 89, professional golfer, COVID-19.
• *Patrick Leo McCartie, 94, Roman Catholic prelate, Bishop of Northampton.
• *John Murphy, 77, Scottish footballer.
• 24 April
• *Lynn Faulds Wood, 72, television presenter and journalist.
• *Don Woan, 92, English footballer.
• 25 April – Liz Edgar, 76, showjumper.
• 26 April – John Rowlands, 73, English footballer, COVID-19.
• 28 April
• *Jill Gascoine, 83, actress.
• *Michael Robinson, 61, English footballer and sports commentator.
• 29 April
• *Trevor Cherry, 72, English footballer and football manager.
• *Allan Gauden, 75, English footballer.
• *Jim Keers, 88, English footballer.
• *Martin Lovett, 93, cellist.
• 30 April
• *John Bryant, 76, journalist and newspaper editor.
• *Jordan Cox, 27, English rugby league player.

  May

• 1 May
• *Anne Heaton, 89, ballet dancer.
• *Francis Megahy, 85, film director, cancer.
• *Derek Ogg, 65, Scottish lawyer.
• 2 May
• *John Ogilvie, 91, Scottish footballer, COVID-19.
• *Jan Saxl, 71–72, Czechoslovakian-born mathematician.
• *Sue Bruce-Smith, 62, film producer.
• 3 May
• *Dave Greenfield, 71, keyboardist, COVID-19.
• *John Ridley, 68, English footballer.
• *Peter Froggatt, 91, Northern Irish academic administrator and epidemiologist.
• 5 May
• *J. Denis Summers-Smith, 99, ornithologist and engineer.
• *June Bernicoff, 82, reality show participant.
• 6 May
• *Brian Howe, 66, rock singer.
• *Sir John Birch, 84, diplomat, ambassador to Hungary, cancer.
• 7 May
• *Steve Blackmore, 58, Welsh rugby union player.
• *Brian Bolus, 86, English cricketer.
• *Ben Chijioke, 47, Mercury Prize-nominated rapper, COVID-19.
• *William Clark, 101, RAF pilot and Battle of Britain veteran.
• 8 May – Carl Tighe, 70, author and academic, COVID-19.
• 11 May
• *Ann Katharine Mitchell, 97, cryptanalyst and psychologist, COVID-19.
• *Nigel, 11, television dog.
• 12 May
• *George Mikell, 91, Lithuanian-Australian actor.
• *David Green, 84, English cricketer.
• 13 May
• *Will Forsyth, 24, English rugby league footballer.
• *Derek Lawrence, 78, record producer.
• *Clive Limpkin, 82, photojournalist.
• *Anthony Bailey, 87, writer and art historian, COVID-19.
• 15 May – Phil May, 75, singer.
• 16 May – Jon Whiteley, 75, child actor and historian.
• 17 May – Colin Franklin, 96, writer and bibliographer.
• 18 May
• *Vincent Malone, 88, Roman Catholic prelate, Auxiliary Bishop of Liverpool, COVID-19.
• *Bill Olner, 78, politician, MP, COVID-19.
• 19 May
• *Ken Nightingall, 92, film sound engineer, COVID-19.
• *Peter Day, 81, chemist.
• 20 May – Margaret Maughan, 91, archer, swimmer and lawn bowler, Paralympic champion.
• 21 May
• *Neil Howlett, 85, operatic baritone.
• *David Pawson, 90, evangelical minister.
• 22 May – Heather Chasen, 92, English actress.
• 23 May
• *Charlie Cooper, 79, footballer.
• *Glyn Pardoe, 73, English footballer.
• *Bryan Wharton, 86, photographer.
• 26 May
• *Sir John Brigstocke, 74, admiral, Second Sea Lord.
• *Christian Mbulu, 23, English footballer.
• *Jonathan Whitehead, 59, musician and composer.
• 27 May – Tony Brown, 83, English cricketer.
• 28 May
• *Robert Weighton, 112, supercentenarian, world's oldest man, cancer.
• *Paul Shrubb, 64, English footballer.
• 29 May
• *Christopher Brocklebank-Fowler, 86, politician, MP.
• *Ron Johnston, 79, geographer, heart attack.
• *Jeanie Lambe, 79, jazz singer.
• 30 May
• *Michael Angelis, 76, actor ''.
• *Sir John Coward, 82, vice admiral, Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies and Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey.
• *Louise Page, 65, dramatist, cancer.
• *Trevor Thomas, 85–86, historian.
• *Don Weller, 79, jazz saxophonist.
• 31 May – John Furnival, 87, artist and teacher.

  June

• 1 June – Nicolas Rea, 3rd Baron Rea, 91, hereditary peer, doctor and politician.
• 2 June – Geoffrey Burnstock, 91, English-born neuroscientist.
• 3 June – Rosemarie Wright, 88, pianist.
• 4 June – Steve Priest, 72, bassist of the glam rock band The Sweet.
• 5 June
• *Ron Thompson, 88, English footballer, bowel cancer.
• *Jim Fryatt, 79, English footballer.
• *Rupert Hine, 72, musician, songwriter and record producer, cancer.
• *Rosemary Hollis, 68, political scientist.
• 7 June – Ralph Wright, 72, English footballer.
• 9 June – Paul Chapman, 66, Welsh rock guitarist.
• 12 June – Ricky Valance, 84, Welsh singer, dementia.
• 13 June – Colo Tavernier, 75, British-French screenwriter, cancer.
• 14 June – Keith Tippett, 72, jazz pianist and composer.
• 15 June
• *Bob, 14, cat.
• *Fred Jarvis, 95, trade union leader, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers.
• 16 June – Mohammad Asghar, 74, Welsh member of the Senedd.
• 17 June
• *Willie Thorne, 66, English snooker player and commentator.
• *Terry Dicks, 83, politician, MP.
• 18 June – Dame Vera Lynn, 103, singer.
• 19 June
• *Sir Ian Holm, 88, English actor, BAFTA winner, complications from Parkinson's disease.
• *Harry Smith, 69, journalist.
• 20 June – Philip Latham, 91, actor.
• 21 June
• *Felicity Bryan, 74, literary agent and journalist, stomach cancer.
• *David Hugh Mellor, 81, philosopher.
• *Ben Godfrey, 25, motorcycle racer, speedway collision.
• 22 June – Harry Penk, 85, English footballer.
• 23 June – Liam Treadwell, 34, English National Hunt jockey.
• 24 June
• *Jane Parker-Smith, 70, classical organist.
• *Sir Anthony Hammond, 79, lawyer and public servant, Treasury Solicitor.
• 25 June
• *Scott Bessant, 37, Welsh rugby player, pneumonia.
• *Richard Grove, 64, environmental historian.
• *Graeme Williamson, 71, rock singer, stroke.
• 26 June
• *James Dunn, 80, theologian.
• *Tony Pidgley, 72, property developer and financier.
• *Diana Maddock, Baroness Maddock, 75, politician, MP, Lord Temporal and President of the Liberal Democrats.
• 27 June – Julian Curry, 82, actor.
• 28 June – Dame Ingrid Roscoe, 76, writer, Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire.

  July

• 1 July – Ida Haendel, 96, Polish-born violinist.
• 2 July
• *Raymond Carter, 84, politician, MP..
• *Mike Walling, 69, English comic actor and screenwriter.
• 3 July
• *Earl Cameron, 102, Bermudian-born actor.
• *John Peter, 81, theatre critic for The Sunday Times.
• 4 July
• *John Papworth, 98, English Anglican clergyman and activist.
• *Marc Treanor, 57, sand artist.
• 5 July
• *Horace Barlow, 98, neuroscientist.
• *Barrie Penrose, 78, investigative journalist and author, complications from Parkinson's disease.
• *Ena Thomas, 85, Welsh television chef.
• 7 July – Bill Ramsey, 76, English rugby league footballer.
• 9 July – Johnny Beattie, 93, Scottish actor and comedian.
• 10 July
• *Jack Charlton, 85, English footballer, world champion, lymphoma and dementia.
• *Steve Sutherland, disc jockey.
• 12 July – Judy Dyble, 71, singer-songwriter, lung cancer.
• 13 July – Pat Quinn, 84, Scottish footballer and manager.
• 14 July – Noël Martin, 60, Jamaican-born assisted suicide activist and neo-Nazi victim.
• 15 July
• *David Humphries, 66, English cricketer.
• *Maurice Roëves, 83, Scottish actor.
• 16 July – Tony Elliott, 73, English publisher, founder of Time Out Group.
• 17 July
• *Josephine Cox, 82, English author.
• *Alex Dawson, 80, Scottish footballer.
• *John Neale, 93, English Anglican clergyman, Bishop of Ramsbury.
• *J.I. Packer, 93, English-Canadian evangelical theologian.
• *Bill Scott, 74, Anglican priest, Deputy Clerk of the Closet.
• *Ron Tauranac, 95, British-Australian engineer and racing car designer, co-founder of Brabham.
• 21 July
• *Annie Ross, 89, British-American jazz singer, songwriter, and actress, complications from emphysema and heart disease.
• *Mike Slemen, 69, English rugby union player.
• *Tim Smith, 59, English singer-songwriter.
• 23 July
• *Alan Garner, 69, English footballer.
• *Stuart Wheeler, 85, financier and political activist, founder of IG Group and Treasurer of UKIP, stomach cancer.
• 24 July – David Hagen, 47, Scottish footballer, motor neuron disease.
• 25 July
• *Dame Olivia de Havilland, 104, French-British-American actress, Oscar winner.
• *Peter Green, 73, English Hall of Fame blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist.
• *CP Lee, 70, English musician.
• 26 July – Chris Needs, 68, Welsh radio broadcaster.
• 27 July – Denise Johnson, 56, English singer.
• 30 July – Mark Rocco, 69, English professional wrestler.
• 31 July – Sir Alan Parker, 76, English film director.