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 for at least six weeks.

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.

Image: Nine News