3.—(1) For the purposes of these Regulations, a “linked household” means a household that is linked with another household in accordance with this regulation.
(2) Where a household (“the first household”) comprises—
(a)one adult,
(b)one or more children and no adults,
(c)one adult and one or more children who are under the age of 18 or were under that age on 12th June 2020,
(d)one or more adults and a child who is under the age of one or was under that age on 2nd December 2020,
(e)one or more adults and a child who has a disability and requires continuous care who is under the age of five or was under that age on 2nd December 2020, or
(f)one or more persons who have a disability and who require continuous care, on their own or together with—
(i)one individual who does not have a disability, or
(ii)more than one such individual but including no more than one adult who was aged 18 or over on 2nd December 2020,
the individuals in the first household may choose to be linked with one other household (“the second household”).
(3) But paragraph (2) applies only if—
(a)all persons who would be members of the linked households in accordance with this regulation agree (subject to paragraph (7)),
(b)neither the first household nor the second household are linked with any other household for the purposes of these Regulations, and
(c)neither of those households were, in the period beginning with 14th September 2020 and ending with 2nd December 2020, linked with any other household for the purposes of regulations made under Part 2A of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.
(4) There is no limit on the number of adults or children who may be in the second household.
(5) The first and second households are “linked households” in relation to each other.
(6) The first and second households cease to be linked households—
(a)if neither household satisfies the condition in paragraph (2), or
(b)at any time when all members of one or both of the households agree to cease to be linked with the other (subject to paragraph (7)).
(7) Where—
(a)a person who would be, or is, a member of a linked household is a child, and
(b)a person who has parental responsibility for the child (“P”) is a member of the child’s household,
the agreement required by paragraph (3)(a) or (6)(b) is to be given by P (and not the child).
(8) If a household (household A) ceases to be linked with another household (household B), household A may choose to be linked with another household after the expiry of the minimum period if the conditions in paragraphs (2) and (3)(a) and (b) are met.
(9) For the purposes of paragraph (8) the “minimum period” means the period of 14 days beginning with the day on which any member of household A last participated in a gathering with a member of household B in reliance on being a linked household.
(10) Paragraph (3)(c) does not apply in the case of a linked household formed in accordance with paragraph (8).
(11) The references in paragraph (3) to neither household being linked with any other household do not include being linked with another household only for the purposes of—
(a)gathering during the Christmas period in accordance with regulation 4, or
(b)informal childcare in accordance with regulation 5 or with other regulations made under Part 2A of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984.