Coronavirus tests including lateral flow tests/devices (LFTs or LFDs), plus PCR tests, will stop being free from April onwards.
That means people trying to access them afterwards will have to pay a fee. And as we approach the date, some people who are trying to access LFTs are being told none are available via the NHS website.
So, what should you do if you need some right now to test whether you’ve got Covid? And what will happen after April 1?
Despite an end to all legal Covid restrictions in England, some hospitals, work places, educational institutions and events are still requiring negative tests before entry. Here’s what you need to know.
Where can you get lateral flow tests?
The first point of contact is the government website. You can still check to see if any deliveries are available. This is a free service until March 31.
Failing that, you can also get a collect code from the government site and show a local pharmacy, school or university, or community buildings such as libraries or Covid-19 testing sites to pick one up.
Bear in mind though, that a collect code doesn’t guarantee a kit, this depends on availability. There’ll be a limit to how many you can pick up, and people are being urged not to stockpile.
There’s a postcode checker to see places nearest to you that may offer lateral flow tests.
How much will lateral flow tests cost?
After April 1, most people will have to pay for LFTs (free tests will still be available for social care staff and a “limited” pool of others at high risk).
The government is yet to release details of the new prices of LFTs, but it’s speculated that it’s up to retailers how much they want to charge for the devices.
Some reports have said that people getting an LFT to confirm their symptoms will need to pay between £2-£5 for individual tests, with a pack of 7 costing £20.
Boots has said it will sell them at £2.50 a pop, £12 for 5 and £17 for a pack of four, with an option of sending results to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Meanwhile, Superdrug has claimed it will sell at £1.99 for solo LFTs, with Loyds Pharmacy saying they will do so for £1.89, charging £9.49 for a pack of five.
Other retailers are also set to offer competitive prices.
When will you need to take lateral flow tests?
The legal obligations to show negative LFTs have been removed, but you may be asked to do so in some settings, at their discretion.
For example, from February 21, the government officially removed “the guidance for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing”.
However, with Covid cases being highest among 0-18-year-olds and with high levels of school absences, some schools are still asking parents to test children twice a week to help curb outbreaks.
Currently, staff in education and childcare settings and students can still access test kits by ordering them online or through their local pharmacy if they wish. HuffPost UK has contacted the Department for Education to ask if there are any plans to provide schools with LFTs after April 1. We will update this article with a response.
Other settings that may continue to require proof of negative test after April 1 include care homes, hospitals, universities and work places. In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon told MPs that advice for people to test twice weekly will end from April 18.
Although the UK has scrapped all travel restrictions, you’ll still need a test to enter certain countries.
Free LFTs will still be available to vulnerable groups. This includes over 80s, care home residents and staff, and hospital patients, but visitors are likely to still need to pay for a negative test before entry.
The government is set out to reveal further detail over the upcoming weeks.
