The UK Health Security Agency have outlined the groups of people who will be eligible for free Covid-19 testing from 1st April 2022.
Symptomatic testing
Free tests for people who have Covid-19 symptoms will continue to be provided to the following groups, largely via the existing channels:
NHS patients in hospital, who will be tested via the established NHS testing programme
those eligible for COVID-19 antiviral and other treatments, who will be sent a pack of tests and can request replacements if they need them
NHS staff and staff working in NHS-funded independent healthcare provision – the current lateral flow test ordering portal will remain available for this group to order their own tests
adult social care staff in care homes, homecare organisations, extra care and supported living settings and adult day care centres, as well as residents in care homes and extra care and supported living settings via the established organisation ordering portal
adult social care social workers, personal assistants, Shared Lives carers and CQC inspectors will be able to order tests from the current online lateral flow ordering system
staff and patients in hospices will be supplied tests by the hospice
staff and detainees in prisons and other places of detention will be supplied tests by by the detention premises as currently happens
staff and detainees in immigration removal centres will be supplied tests, as currently happens, by the organisation concerned
staff and users of high-risk domestic abuse refuges and homelessness settings
Asymptomatic testing
During periods of high prevalence, asymptomatic testing will continue to mitigate risk. Testing will continue to be provided for:
adult social care staff and a small number of visitors providing personal care
hospice staff
patient-facing staff in the NHS and NHS-funded independent healthcare provision
some staff in prisons and other places of detention, and some refuges and shelters
Care home outbreak testing for all staff and residents will also continue all year.
People who do not fall into the categories listed but wish to test themselves for Covid-19 are encouraged to buy lateral flow tests from pharmacies and supermarkets, including online.
