Hopes raised people could soon meet with friends and family again

Plans are being put together

Ministers are drawing up plans to allow people to meet up with friends and family again as lockdown measures continue to be eased.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the statement during yesterday's (May 26) daily press conference and admitted there was a 'yearning' for people to meet others outside their household.

Measures being weighed up by ministers are said to include allowing small groups to meet outdoors - including for picnics in parks - as the UK slowly comes out of lockdown, The Mirror reports.

If it goes ahead, children could finally be reunited with their grandparents, as long as they do not go indoors together.

However, it is understood members of one household would only select people from one other to meet with until restrictions are further eased, according to national reports.

The UK has been in lockdown since March 23, meaning families and friends have gone weeks without seeing each other.

But the rules would mean tough decisions for households, who may have to pick which parents or grandparents to socialise with.

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The 50-page road map drawn up ahead of lockdown being eased had also mentioned the possibility of 'social bubbles' being created, with households nominated another to meet with.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Tuesday's daily briefing: “There is a yearning to see others from another household, and we are looking at how to make this happen in a safe way.”

And Michael Gove earlier said: “Two things, we want to make sure that people can get back to work. People want to be back at work.

"The second thing is, you can see members of your family or friends outdoors and we’re looking at how we can make it easier to see, in particular, more family members out of doors in a safe way.”

It comes after the Prime Minister announced that non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen from June 15 as long as it is safe to do so.