Britons refuse to ditch their masks? Some 95% of people tell pollsters they are still wearing a face covering outside their home despite rules being relaxed... but photos from the streets of the UK tell a different story

The vast majority of adults have told a new poll that they are continuing to wear face masks when out and about, despite no longer being legally required to do so.  

Some 95 per cent of people in Britain said they wore face coverings when outside their home in the past week, the Office for National Statistics found.

And 89 per cent of adults felt that wearing face coverings to help stop the spread of Covid-19 is either very important or important.

But such findings contrast with photographs from around Britain over the past week that shows a significant proportion of the population going mask free, including inside shops. 

The finding came as coronavirus cases continued to fall in the UK, and covid hospitalisations in England fell  yesterday for first time since third wave took off. 

Department of Health statistics show the average number of patients needing care stood at 785 on July 25, down on the day before (793).

It is the first time the figure — which is based on the seven-day average and offers a more reliable measure as to state of pressure on the NHS — has fallen since May 12.

Meanwhile, Britain’s daily Covid cases fell again today for the ninth day in a row to 29,622 cases — down 18.6 per cent on last week.

In another glimmer of hope, deaths (68) appear to be slowing down — up just 6 per cent on last Friday.

But the actual state of crisis has baffled scientists, who say a multitude of factors could be behind the drop in official figures — including fewer people coming forward to get tested because of the 'pingdemic' chaos and fears of having to self-isolate.

Some 95 per cent of people in Britain said they wore face coverings when outside their home in the past week, the Office for National Statistics found, pictured people on Oxford Street in London on July 19

While most people wore face masks, others decided it was too much of an inconvenience. A shopper in central London on July 19 

On July 26, pedestrians were photographed in central London not wearing Covid-19 

The findings of the mask poll are similar to those from the previous week's survey, conducted before most legal restrictions in England were eased on July 19.

Face coverings are now no longer mandatory in shops and on most public transport in England, but the Government has said it 'expects and recommends' that people continue to do so in crowded areas.

The one-metre-plus rule on social distancing has also ended.

The ONS analysed responses from 3,784 people aged 16 and over who were surveyed between July 21 and 25 as part of its Opinions and Lifestyle Survey.

They were asked about their actions over the past week, which includes a number of days before the July 19 reopening.

It also found that 69 per cent of respondents said they saw everyone or almost everyone wearing face coverings while shopping in the last seven days.

Some 88 per cent of respondents said they feel socially distancing from people not in their household is important or very important – similar to the previous week (89%)

Those saying they always or often maintained social distance fell slightly, from 63% last week to 61 per cent.

Some 88 per cent of respondents said they feel socially distancing from people not in their household is important or very important – similar to the previous week (89%).

Asked how they will behave after the end of restrictions across Britain, 79 per cent said they will continue to wear a face covering in shops, 75 per cent said they will do so on public transport and 51 per cent said they will socially distance from people they do not live with.

A third (33 per cent) of adults said they felt it will take more than a year for life to return to normal, similar to last week (32 per cent) and the highest this has been since early November.

Tim Vizard, ONS principal research officer, said: 'Interestingly, despite the lifting of legal restrictions in England on 19 July, people continue to feel strongly that measures like wearing face coverings and hand washing are important.'