Up to six people will now be allowed to meet up from Monday in the UK and children up to the age of 10 will be able to return to school and early learning centres; and some retail stores will re-open.
It's despite a total of 54,000 cases this week alone, and 700 deaths in the last two days.
The first wave of steps will be taken from 1 June, with more sweeping measures - the re-opening of secondary schools, the doors opening for more retail stores - occuring a further two weeks down the line.
On Monday, people will now be able to meet up with other households in groups up to six, though only in public spaces, or in private back gardens, and they will still have to keep a two metre distance between one another.
He also tried to draw a line in the sand under the ongoing saga with Dominic Cummings after another day and another new development.
Durham Police have concluded an investigation into Cummings and found there might have been a minor breach of the lockdown regulations.
The advisor has been in hot water ever since it was revealed he drove 400 kilometres to his parents' residence in the North of England in late March.
London correspondent Vincent McAviney speaks to Susie Ferguson.
