England has been sent into a national lockdown for a third time.

United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the news a short time ago.

Those in England will only be allowed to leave home to exercise or shop for essential items.

Schools will shut.

It comes as the UK battles a highly infectious variant of the coronavirus.

Authorities have recorded more than 50,000 new infections a day in the UK since passing that milestone for the first time on December 29.

Picture: Nine News