PUBS, clubs, bars, gyms and more have been ordered to close tonight.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson made the announcement in his daily briefing today.

He said: "Following an agreement between all formations of the United Kingdom and all of the involved administrations we are collectively telling cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can, and not to open tomorrow.

"Though, to be clear, they can continue to provide take-out services.

"We are also telling nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close on the same time-scale.

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"These are places where people come together and indeed the whole purpose, in many cases, of these businesses is to bring people together.

"But the sad thing is I'm afraid today, for now, at least physically, we need to keep people apart."

He said the situation would be reviewed each month "to see if we can relax any of these measures" and promised to stand by companies affected by the unprecedented action.

The Conservative party leader said: "Some of you may be tempted to go out tonight and I say to you, please don't.

"You may think that you are invincible but there is no guarantee that you will get mild symptoms and you can still be a carrier of the disease and pass it on to others.

"That's why we want you, as far as possible, to stay at home.

"That's how we can protect our NHS and save lives."

Chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak outlined how the Government planned to help those hit by the sudden closures.

He said: "The economic intervention that I'm announcing today is unprecedented in the history of the British state.

"Combined with our previous announcements on public services and business support, our planned economic response will be one of the most comprehensive in the world.

"Let me speak directly to people's concerns. I know that people are worried about losing their jobs, about not be ing able to pay the rent or mortgage and about not having enough set by for food and bills.

"I know that some people in the last few days have already lost their jobs.

"To all those at home right now, anxious about the days ahead, I say this.

"You will not face this alone.

"But getting through this will require a  collective national effort with a role for everyone to play.

"People, businesses, government; it's on all of us.

"To meet our commitment to that effort, I am today announcing a combination of measures unprecedented for a government of this nation.

"Our plan for people's jobs and incomes will protect people's jobs, offer more generous support to those who are without employment, strengthen the safety net for those who work for themselves and help people stay in their homes."

He said the first part of the plan aimed to protect people's jobs.

"For the first time in our history the government is going to step in and pay people's wages," Mr Sunak said.

"We are setting up a new coronavirus job retention scheme. Any employer in the country, small or large, charitable or non-profit (sic) will be eligible for the scheme.

"Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but are furloughed and kept on payroll rather than being laid off.

"Government grants will cover 80 per cent of the slary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month.

"That's just above the median income.

"And of course employers can top up salaries further if they choose.

"That means workers in any part of the UK can retain their job even if their employer can not afford to pay them, and be paid at least 80 per cent of their salary.

"The coronavirus job retention scheme will cover the cost of wages backdated to March 1 and will be open initially for at least three months - and I will extend the scheme for longer if necessary.

"I am placing no limit on the amount of funding available for this scheme.

"We will pay grants to support as many jobs as necessary."