Covid: Where can I buy a lateral flow test and how much does it cost?

The government will no longer provide free universal Covid-19 testing for most of the British public from 1 April, as part of its plan for living with the virus.

Under the current rules, people can order lateral flow tests for free via the government’s website. However, prime minister Boris Johnson’s announcement on Monday has caused a surge in demand for free tests as people rush to stock up before 1 April.

From the start of April, Covid tests will only be available commercially. The government said it is “working with retailers to ensure that everyone who wants can buy a test”.

On Tuesday, Boots became the first retailer to announce its pricing for lateral flow test kits and confirmed the kits would go on sale this week.

Here is everything you need to know about getting lateral flow tests after 1 April:

Where can I buy a lateral flow test?

According to reports, lateral flow tests will be available to buy from pharmacies and online suppliers once they are no longer free.

How much will lateral flow tests cost?

The i reported government sources as saying that individual lateral flow tests could cost between £2 and £5, or around £29 for a pack of seven.

However, Boots has confirmed that its tests will cost more than the government’s initial estimate. The major pharmacy said that, from Wednesday, customers can buy a pack of four lateral flow tests for £17, or one test for £5.99 with delivery from its website.

“This test will offer customers an option to send their results to the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) to report a negative test, should customers need it,” Boots said.

The retailer added that it will offer lateral flow tests in more than 400 stores at £2.50 per test or £12 for a pack of five. These cheaper tests will also be available for £4.75 for two tests and four tests at £9.50 online, but will not have the option to report the results.

While other pharmacies and suppliers have yet to confirm their pricing, Superdrug currently sells a home lateral flow test kit from Medicspot for £19.99 and is specifically for travel purposes.

According to British Airways’ list of approved Covid test suppliers for travel purposes, at-home lateral flow test kits provided by companies such as Randox, Eurofins, Medicspot and Breathe Assured can range from £10.99 to £20.16.

Can I still get free lateral flow tests?

Yes, but the government has restricted orders of free lateral flow test kits to one pack every three days. Previously, people were able to order a free kit every 24 hours.

Early on Wednesday, a number of people reported receiving “unavailable for delivery” error messages when they tried to order free lateral flow tests.

The UKHSA said the number of tests available each day has been capped in order to “manage demand”.

It added that people should re-visit the site every few hours to try and order tests as more become available.

Why will lateral flow tests no longer be free?

The government has provided more than two billion lateral flow tests to the British public for free since 2020. But Johnson said the system has cost £15.7 billion in this financial year and £2 billion in January alone, adding that the government “must now scale this back”.

Ministers have pressed the government to reveal whether or not the price of lateral flow tests will be fixed, and warned that some of the most vulnerable people will have to choose between food, heating, or paying for a test.

Lord leader Baroness Evans of Bowes Park said: “We are going to be working with retailers to establish and develop a private market for lateral flow tests. Private markets have operated in the US and many European countries for some time now.

“Retailers will be setting the price but we will be ensuring that the private testing market is properly regulated, including monitoring prices charged, and we will of course continue to work with UK companies in developing lateral flow tests."

Lady Evans added that free symptomatic testing will continue being available for those at highest risk of Covid and social care staff. She said that further details will be released after 31 March.