Covid tests: can you get Covid tests for free, who is eligible and where can you buy Covid tests in the UK?

• Covid cases have been on the rise in the UK due to the new summer variants collectively known as FLiRT.
• Hospital admissions in the UK have risen by 24 per cent.
• Covid tests can help you determine if you have Covid-19.
• Here is everything you need to know about where you can get Covid tests in the UK.

Covid cases are on the rise in the UK, with hospital admissions up 24 per cent in June according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Collectively known as FLiRT, the new group of Covid variants have been causing growing fears that a new Covid wave could be on the way this summer.

Covid tests were once a regular feature of daily life, they were freely accessible from pharmacies and GP clinics, though since the global pandemic gripped the UK in 2020, access to these vital kits and the rules around reporting them has changed.

Here’s everything you need to know about where you can get Covid tests in the UK, if you can still get them for free and who is eligible.

Can you get Covid tests for free?

Covid tests are no longer available for free for everyone with only those who fit into eligible criteria able to get lateral flow tests for free from the NHS.

Who is eligible for free Covid tests?

You may still be able to get free Covid tests from the NHS if you either have a health condition which means you're eligible for Covid treatments or work in a healthcare setting or hospice.

According to the NHS people at higher risk of serious infection from Covid who are eligible for Covid treatments include those who:

• are aged 85 years or over
• have end-stage heart failure and have a long-term ventricular assistance device
• are resident in a care home and aged 70 years or over
• are resident in a care home and have a BMI of 35 or more, or have diabetes or heart failure
• have Down's syndrome, or another chromosomal condition that affects your immune system
• have certain types of cancer, or had treatment for certain types of cancer
• have sickle cell disease
• have certain conditions affecting your blood, including some types of blood cancer
• have chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4 or 5, including people on dialysis
• have severe liver disease
• have had an organ transplant or are on the organ transplant waiting list
• have certain autoimmune or inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease
• have HIV or AIDS and have a weakened immune system
• have a condition affecting your immune system
• have a condition affecting the brain or nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, motor neurone disease, myasthenia gravis, Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease or certain types of dementia
• have certain lung conditions or treatments for lung conditions

For patients in England your local Integrated Care Board (ICB) may also be able to give you more information on whether or not you can access Covid tests for free.

Do I still need to report my Covid test result?

If you test positive for Covid, the government recommends that you try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days if you are over 18-years-old or three days if you are under 18-years-old.

If you are eligible for Covid treatments, it’s important that as soon as you get a positive test result you report this so you can access the healthcare you need.

For patients in England you should contact your GP surgery, NHS 111 or your hospital team. In Wales, you should fill out the COVID-19 Antiviral Self-Referral Form (NHS 111 Wales). If you cannot access the form, you can ask your GP or hospital specialist to refer you or you can call NHS 111.

In Scotland, you can report your test result online here, or by phoning 0800 008 6587, whilst in Northern Ireland, you can report a HSC NI COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test result here.

If you have tested positive in a Covid test you were doing before a hospital procedure, it’s important to contact the hospital directly as soon as possible to find out what the next steps are. If you get a negative result, it means it's unlikely you have Covid. If you’re eligible for Covid treatments and get a negative result, do a total of three rapid lateral flow tests over three days, testing one day at a time if you continue to have symptoms.

If your test result could not be read, do another test as soon as possible.

Where can you buy Covid tests in the UK?

Covid tests are available to buy across the UK in chemists, pharmacies, supermarkets, retailers or online. Prices can vary, with a kit including five tests costing £9 in Boots, or single test kits priced at £2 in Tesco.

To find out more about signs and symptoms of Covid, how to test and who is eligible for the Covid vaccination programmes check out NHS.UK.