Free HIV at-home test kits rolled out in England this week

In a bid to end new cases of HIV in England by 2030 the UK government are offering free, at home DIY test kits this week.

People across England are being encouraged to take free, finger-prick at home HIV tests to mark National HIV Testing Week. The UK government are also trying to drive diagnosis of the sexually transmitted virus after rates dropped during the pandemic.

The most recent UK Health Security Agency data (UKHSA) shows HIV testing rates are still 20% lower than before COVID-19. Heterosexual men in particular are testing less than in 2019, whereas testing amongst gay and bisexual men has increased by 23% from 2020-21.

Tests can be ordered via the NHS website, are small enough to fit through a letterbox and arrive in discreet plain packaging. They provide results within 15 minutes and instructions about what to do if the test is positive.

However, if people do not feel confident enough to read their own results, they can send a small sample of their blood to a lab where it will be screened for both HIV and syphilis.

According to government data, in 2021 over 90,000 people in England were accessing care for HIV. Additionally, UKHSA data displays there are around 95,900 people living with HIV in England, of whom about 4,400 are undiagnosed.

The Terrence Higgins Trust, which runs National HIV Testing Week for the Department of Health, is working to raise awareness for the at-home kits. The trust has been working with BBC soap Eastenders on a new storyline where character Zack Hudson is diagnosed with the virus.

Taku Mukiwa, Head of Health Programmes at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: ‘It’s truly never been quicker, easier, or more convenient to test for HIV than during this year’s National HIV Testing Week.

‘Gay and bisexual men and black African people continue to be most impacted by HIV in the UK, but anyone who’s sexually active can be affected and should think about testing.

‘As the Eastenders HIV storyline we’ve been advising on shows, the truth is it’s always better to know your HIV status, whether positive or negative.

‘If it’s a negative, you can make sure it stays that way…huge advances in HIV treatment mean you can live a long, healthy life with the virus, have children who are HIV negative and that HIV can’t be passed on to anyone else.’

Photo by National Cancer Institute