What are the lockdown rules for over-70s and why is there confusion?

Even the health secretary seems unclear over the government’s different instructions to different groups, writes Jon Stone

There is no 'blanket' prohibition on going out for over-70s (Getty)

The health secretary was met with confusion at the weekend when he tweeted that “the clinically vulnerable, who are advised to stay in lockdown for 12 weeks, emphatically DO NOT include all over-70s”.

Matt Hancock said there was no “blanket” rule applying to older people, which some people thought had contradicted previous government advice. The government’s website appeared to show something different. But what actually are the rules and why were people confused?

Did Matt Hancock make a mistake?