Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis is pressing the Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick for an early decision to permit wedding ceremonies.

Despite media reports over the weekend that the government was planning to enable small ceremonies to take place soon, a communal source suggested this is unlikely to happen until at least July 4.

Rabbi Mirvis raised the issue again with Mr Jenrick again on Monday.

A spokesman for the Chief Rabbi said he called on the government to “prioritise weddings. This is a matter which is continuing to cause a great deal of pain and anxiety for many in the Jewish community and beyond.

“We ask that outdoor weddings, with all necessary precautions, be allowed to take place as soon as possible.”

Rabbi Mirvis thanked the Secretary of State for his work on behalf of faith communities, the spokesman said, and “emphasised how important it is for the Jewish community to be able to begin the process of returning to communal prayer when it is safe to do so”.

The window of opportunity for holding a chupah is narrowing as it takes 28 days to register a wedding and Jewish weddings will not be held from July 8 to July 30 because of the period of mourning between fasts commemorating the destruction of the Temple.

A plan to allow 15 people to attend an outdoor ceremony has been under discussion for some weeks – although the government is thought unlikely to permit a celebration after the chupah.