London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 17, 2026

Covid: UK marks one year anniversary of lockdown

Covid: UK marks one year anniversary of lockdown

Services were held around the UK to remember those who have died from coronavirus.

The Queen reflected on the "grief and loss felt by so many" and sent a bouquet of flowers to St Bartholomew's Hospital in London.

On 23 March 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced tough restrictions on people's lives, aimed at stopping the spread of Covid-19.

Since then, the UK's official death toll has risen from 364 to 126,172.

People are being encouraged to stand on their doorsteps at 20:00 GMT with phones, candles and torches to signify a "beacon of remembrance".

The gesture is being organised by end-of-life charity Marie Curie.

Landmark and tourist attraction The London Eye is illuminated in yellow light.
The iconic Titanic building and visitor centre is lit up in yellow in Belfast.
Sunderland's Northern Spire Bridge looked striking at nightfall
The Kelpies sculpture in Falkirk, Scotland, is also illuminated in yellow, as part of a day of reflection.
At No 10 Downing Street, a staff member places a candle on the doorstep for the 20:00 vigil.
There was a sombre reflection for those lost during the pandemic in Dormansland, Surrey

Here are pictures of people observing the minute's silence and attending services around the UK.
Health workers from the Glasgow Royal Infirmary (also below)

Staff outside the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow
Health workers and faith leaders at the Fazl mosque vaccination centre in southwest London
Staff at a Marie Curie hospice in Penarth
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge took part in a private moment of reflection in Westminster Abbey and then visited a vaccination centre at the abbey in London
The House of Commons held a minute's silence. Prime Minister Boris Johnson observed the silence privately
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (left), Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh (centre) and Scottish Conservative Ruth Davidson (right), along with other MSPs and parliament staff, observe a minute's silence in the Garden Lobby of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh
In a tweet earlier in the day, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "One year on. Thinking today of all those who have lost a loved one to Covid, and to everyone who continues to make heartbreaking sacrifices as we continue to navigate our way through this terrible ordeal, together"
Canon Andrew Stead leads a service at Lichfield Cathedral
People light candles in Lichfield Cathedral
The Dean of Ripon, The Very Reverend John Dobson lights a candle of remembrance in Ripon
Nurses stand alongside firefighters (in red) from Hampshire Fire and Rescue as they observe a minute's silence in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth
Chief spiritual adviser Mia Hilborn (centre) stands with NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens (centre left) and Guys and St Thomas' NHS Trust chief executive and chief medical officer Dr Ian Abbs (centre right) during a ceremony at St Thomas' Hospital in central London
Members of staff place flowers near the statue of Crimean War nurse Mary Seacole at St Thomas' Hospital
Commuters take part in a minute's silence at Waterloo Station in central London
A yellow ribbon is tied to a memorial tree at Hutton Rudby Methodist Church in Middlesbrough
Angel ties a yellow ribbon to a gate after a service at St Catherine's Church in London
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Asthma Charity Warns of Major Gaps in Childhood Diagnostic Testing Across England
TUC Chief Paul Nowak Appointed to Bank of England Court
Bristol Opens £35 Million Deep-Tech Innovation Hub at Temple Quarter
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Asylum Housing Plan
Andy Burnham Deepens UK Defense and AI Cooperation With NATO and Canada
UK Government Announces Neonatal Safety Reforms After Thirlwall Inquiry
Bank of England Weighs Rate Decision as UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%
UK Health Unions Warn of Staffing Pressures as Public and Private Pay Growth Diverges
Rockstar Games Faces Tribunal Claims From 23 Former Grand Theft Auto VI Developers
UK Treasury Faces Tighter Budget Constraints as Borrowing Costs and Pension Spending Rise
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Sets Out Ten-Year Plan for Greater Public Oversight of Utilities
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Services and Technology Activity Strengthen
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Coordinate Push for UK Constitutional Change
Police Tighten Public-Order Measures After Anti-Immigration Protests in Dover and Portsmouth
UK Ministers Pressed for Answers After US Diplomat Accused of Child Abuse Images Leaves Britain
Jaguar Land Rover Pursues NATO Defense Contracts for Defender Vehicles
British Service Member Dies in Road Accident While Deployed in Ukraine
George Osborne Calls for Britain to Rejoin EU Customs Union
Anthropic Chief Dario Amodei Urges Faster UK Action on Advanced AI Risks
UK State Pension Set for 3.9% Rise Under Triple Lock
UK Labour Market Cools as Payrolled Employment Continues to Decline
Reform UK’s £72 Million in Donations Faces Scrutiny Under Proposed Retrospective Funding Rules
UK Doctors Warn Expanded Pharmacy First Scheme Could Put Patients at Risk
British Airlines Cut Short-Haul Capacity as Jet Fuel Costs Rise
UK News Publishers Forecast 40% Search Traffic Drop as AI Overviews Expand
Axel Springer Wins Approval for £575 Million Daily Telegraph Acquisition
London Mayor Sadiq Khan Opposes Heathrow Third Runway Over Climate Targets
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Leaders Hold Summit Seeking Greater Autonomy
UK Energy Price Cap Set to Rise to £1,723 in October
UK Treasury Warns Middle East Conflict Is Threatening Economic Growth
Labour Moves to Retrospectively Cap Overseas Political Donations After Reform UK Funding Surge
HMRC Warns Nearly Seven Million Adults Are Unclear About State Pension Entitlements
UK Parliament Passes Sovereign Grant Reform Before Conference Recess
British Rail Passengers Gain Automatic Right to Switch Operators During Disruptions
Burnham Hosts Downing Street Business Summit as UK Fiscal Pressure Builds
Labour Government Moves to Challenge £72 Million in Reform UK Crypto Donations
UK Advertising Industry Warns Wider Junk Food Rules Could Put £1 Billion in Media Spending at Risk
Cornwall Opens Devolution Talks With UK Government Over Transport and Local Services
UK Parliament Considers Sovereign Grant Reform Setting Royal Funding at £99.9 Million
Trades Union Congress Calls for Income-Based Energy Tariff Funded by Higher Bank Levy
UK Prime Minister Rejects Second Scottish Independence Referendum
House of Lords Begins Scrutiny of Bill to Lower UK Voting Age to 16
Anthropic Says Claude Was Exploited in Weapons-Related and State-Linked Cyber Activity
Institute of Directors Urges UK Government to Avoid Business Tax Increases in Autumn Budget
Rising Gilt Yields Cut UK Fiscal Headroom to About £13 Billion Ahead of Budget
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July as Services and Technology Activity Strengthen
UK Government Promises Clearer Student Loan Guidance After Repayment Backlash
Charities Warn Unpaid Carers May Die Before Receiving Government Compensation
Dover Unrest Prompts Review of UK Counter-Extremism Strategy
Celtic Summit Leaders Reassert Right to Pursue Independence From UK
×