Covid: One lateral flow test being sold for £10 as England ends free testing

Companies are charging more than £10 for a single lateral flow test as England plans to end mass free testing by April 1.

The move, announced as part of the Government’s living with Covid plan, means many will be forced to pay for the tests out of their own pocket.

The availability of the free tests has been strained amid stockpiling ahead of the cut-off.

Already the rules have changed to only allow for orders of a free box of seven once every 72 hours.

It raised the prospect of customers paying up to £9.59 for a single test, the price quoted by a supplier based in Nottinghamshire, for a Healgen test with delivery and VAT.

The same brand of test is offered at £3.49 by a Bristol-based supplier but rises to £10.18 with VAT and shipping to a London address.

Another supplier based in Leicestershire offers customers the option to buy a single one of its tests for £11.93 with VAT and delivery to a London address.

However, the cost can fall as low as £4.35 with bulk ordering.

Fears have been raised about the impact of loss of free testing for low-income Londoners.

Councillor Georgia Gould, chair of London Councils, said: “The ending of free tests is also a significant change that has the potential to affect low-income Londoners who may not be able to afford tests otherwise, which is obviously a big concern.”

Boots, the UK’s biggest pharmacy chain, has said it would charge up to £5.99 for a single test including delivery.

It said customers are able to order one test online from Wednesday or pay £17 for a pack of four, including delivery within two days.

The tests will include the option to report results but they cannot be used for travel requiring a negative lateral flow certificate.

From early next month, it said customers would be able to pick up lateral flow tests in more than 400 of its stores for £2.50 for one or £12 for a pack of five.

In some countries, the price of lateral flow tests is capped.

In Spain, there is a £2.45 maximum price cap and in France the maximum price pharmacies can charge has fallen to £5.

Dan Shears, national health and safety director at the GMB union, called on the Government to either continue providing free tests or to make them affordable.

“The reality is that those who are most at risk are least able to afford testing, meaning it will not happen and low-paid workers – many of whom are key workers – will continue to take the brunt of Covid,” he said.

Some groups are expected to still be able to access free tests, although eligibility has yet to be fully spelled out.

Free symptomatic tests will continue to be available for NHS patients and those in care homes.

There are reports those aged 80 and above may still be able to get the free tests.