Government looks to end free Covid-19 testing
Ministers are reportedly preparing to end of free Covid-19 testing next week, as the government tries to move past the pandemic.
The move forms part of plans to slash the ongoing costs of the pandemic, which will be revealed in the government’s Living Safely with Covid strategy, The Times first reported.
The new strategy could come into effect as soon as next month and follows the England stripping back its pandemic measures.
The UK has been recording around 55,500 coronavirus cases a day, on average, similar to the number of daily infections in mid-December.
The proposal is reportedly being finalised in Whitehall this week, and will see healthy adults having to pay for lateral flow tests instead of ordering them for free via the NHS.
There are also plans to scale back PCR testing, according to the report, as ministers mull leaving the tests for older adults and those considered clinically vulnerable.
A government spokesperson said: “We’ve previously set out that we’ll keep the provision of free testing under review as the government’s response to Covid-19 changes.
“No decisions have been made on the provision of free testing. Everyone can continue to get free tests and we are continuing to encourage people to use rapid tests when they need them.
“Testing continues to play an important role in helping people live their day to day lives, keep businesses running and keep young people in school.”