Tier checker CRASHES moments after going live: Government postcode tool suffers ‘technical difficulties’ as nation desperately tries to find out what level of restrictions their local area is under
- Government postcode checker helps people find out which tier area is placed in
- But it crashed today just minutes after going live leaving Britons frustrated
- Message said: ‘Sorry, we’re experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again’
- Checker went live about 30 minutes before Matt Hancock revealed tier details
The Government postcode checker for finding out which tier your local area has been placed into after lockdown crashed today just minutes after going live.
Those inputting their postcode on the website this morning were told: ‘Sorry, we’re experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments.’
Others were given a different message saying: ‘We’re experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again later. You can find coronavirus information on Gov.UK.’
The checker went live on the website shortly after 11am, around half an hour before Health Secretary Matt Hancock revealed the details in the House of Commons.
Britons were left frustrated by the issue, posting a series of memes – with one saying: ‘Can’t catch Covid if you’re at home constantly refreshing a postcode checker.’
This is the landing page for when you try to check the coronavirus tier in your area of England
Two different error messages have appeared for users this morning, with both pictured above
Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth made fun of Mr Hancock for the website crashing when he responded to his statement in the Commons this morning.
Mr Ashworth told the House: ‘Can I thank the Secretary of State for advance sight of his statement, and I suppose we should all thank him for advance sight of the website, but sadly it crashed before we could check what tiers we were in.’
Each area of England will be placed into one of three tiers when lockdown ends next Wednesday, but the system has been toughened from the previous regime.
This means more authorities will move into the higher tiers, with the details revealed after the Government set out its Covid-19 ‘winter plan’ earlier this week.
Areas which make progress in slowing the spread of the virus could still be moved down a tier before Christmas. The first review will take place by December 16.
Writing about the postcode checker crashing, Paul Brand tweeted: ‘Government website is definitely having a mare. Did they not expect quite a few people to search for their local restrictions, given that’s what the page is designed to do?’
James Mitchinson added: ‘Can someone switch it off and back on again, please?’
And Geri Scott said: ‘Government’s postcode tier finder seems to have already crashed, so that’s a good start.’
England learned its lockdown fate today as the tier areas face from next Wednesday were revealed – with most facing the higher levels.
A detailed breakdown of the new system was published after days of wrangling, with Tories up in arms at the prospect of ‘lockdown by another name’.
Millions of people face a ban on households mixing indoors, and in a swathe of pubs will be only be able to provide takeaway service or must close altogether.
Once working, the postcode checker showed London and Liverpool had avoided tier three after a fall in infections, as well as lower hospital admission rates.
They will instead be subject to tier two restrictions, which shut pubs unless they serve meals and order people not to meet other households indoors.
But Greater Manchester, where Mayor Andy Burnham fought a bitter battle with the Government against going into tough restrictions, will remain in tier three.