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An additional 570 deaths were reported in the 28 days after a positive coronavirus test in England on Christmas Day, government figures show.
Decentralized nations will not release data on deaths today due to the holidays, so they are not included in the figures.
However, they continue to release data on cases, with 32,725 new confirmed infections recorded across the UK.
On Christmas Eve, the UK registered its the highest daily number of cases so far at 39,237.
The number of tests has increased in the last week from around 400,000 per day to 500,000 per day, so this will explain part of the increase in cases, but not all.
The seven-day rate of COVID-19 Cases per 100,000 people is the highest since the start of the pandemic, although again it is important to note that the massive tests were not conducted during the first peak in April and May.
In the week ending December 20, there were 344 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.
Much of the increase in cases is being driven by the south east and east of England, where a new and more communicable variant of the virus has been spreading.
Fears about the new strain have left millions of people unable to visit loved ones for Christmas since those who live in Level 4 areas cannot mix with other households.
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Boris Johnson was forced to remove plans to allow a relaxation of the five-day restrictions during the holiday period and move some areas to the highest level of measures as the impact of the faster-expanding variant became apparent.
More areas will be placed on Level 4 one minute after midnight on Boxing Day, while Scotland and Northern Ireland will impose new closures on the same day.
Wales is also under heavy restrictions and has eased them only on Christmas Day.
