THE UK Government is to introduce emergency legislation to suspend new evictions from social or private rented accommodation during the coronavirus "national emergency".

The promise came as Boris Johnson did not dispel suggestions around London that the UK Government is about to order a lockdown of the capital in the next few days.

At his daily coronavirus press briefing in Downing St, the Prime Minister, when asked what help the Government could give to people who had already lost their jobs and who were renters, said: “We will bringing forward legislation to help renters, to prevent them from suffering eviction.

“We will want to protect people who face difficulties through no fault of their own. You cannot penalise people for doing the right thing nor can you penalise people when you have an economic upset that is the direct result of the Government’s actions, advice that is intended to protect the public.”

Robert Jenrick, the Housing Secretary, explained the plans, to be debated by MPs from Thursday, would ensure landlords could not start proceedings to evict tenants for at least a three-month period in a bid to ensure renters do not worry about the threat of losing their home.

The three-month mortgage payment holiday announced by Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, on Tuesday will also be extended to landlords whose tenants are experiencing financial difficulties due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

"The Government is clear,” declared Mr Jenrick, “no renter who has lost income due to coronavirus will be forced out of their home, nor will any landlord face unmanageable debts.”

The emergency Coronavirus Bill would also give the Government powers to "close premises" and "restrict or prohibit events and gatherings", including restricting transport networks.

Government sources said they expected the legislation to pass through Westminster – and get legislative consent from Holyrood – by the end of next week.

Alarm has been expressed in Whitehall that the Government’s call for pubs and clubs to close down is being ignored in the UK capital, regarded as the country’s epicentre of the outbreak.

A source close to Sadiq Khan, the London Mayor, said: "We expect a shutdown of London but nobody in central Government is saying when that will be or what form it will take.”

Asked if he was considering putting London on lockdown, Mr Johnson told his regular Downing St press conference: "We do not rule out, because it would be quite wrong to do so, taking further and faster measures in due course."

Pressed on when London would be shut down, he said: "We've always said that we are going to do the right measures at the right time."