How is hepatitis C treated?
You will be referred to a specialist NHS service.
If you have acute hepatitis C, you may be advised to wait and see if your body fights it off.
If you are unwell or have chronic hepatitis C you will be offered treatment.
Hepatitis C is treated with antiviral tablets. Treatment is free from the NHS.
For most people, hepatitis C is cured after taking the tablets every day for 8 to 12 weeks.
There are lots of different types of antiviral tablets. Your healthcare team will discuss which type could work best for you.
If the first course of tablets does not cure the virus, you will be offered a different type.
More about the different types of treatment.
FAQs about free home hepatitis C testing
Why should I get a free home hepatitis C test kit?
Most people with hepatitis C will not have any symptoms, so you could have it without knowing. Testing is the only way to be sure if you have hepatitis C.
Hepatitis C can easily be passed on to sexual partners and through blood-to-blood contact.
If hepatitis C is not treated, it can eventually lead to life-threatening liver damage.
Detecting and curing hepatitis C early is the best way to help stop any serious damage.
Who should consider hepatitis C testing?
Hepatitis C is passed on through blood-to-blood contact. Check if you could have a higher chance of having hepatitis C.
If you live in England and think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C at any time in your life, you can order a free NHS hepatitis C test.
You have a higher chance of acquiring hepatitis C through sex if you are living with HIV or by taking part in group sex, chemsex (sex when using drugs), fisting without gloves, or any kind of rough sex.
When you order a free STI testing kit, we will ask a few questions to check if you could benefit from hepatitis C testing.
If you are sexually active, it’s a good idea to test for STIs once a year or when you have a new partner, especially if you have sex without a condom. Some people may be advised to test more often.
When should I take a home hepatitis C test?
Take a test now if:
- you have any symptoms of hepatitis C or
- a sexual partner has hepatitis C or another STI
Depending on your symptoms, and whether you have had hepatitis C before, we may advise you to get tested at a clinic instead of doing a home test yourself. Check and order now .
Consider waiting for 3 months after your last sexual contact if:
- you have no symptoms
- you just want a sexual health check-up
This helps your test be as accurate as possible. Hepatitis C may not show up on a test straight away. Testing too early may mean you test negative even if you do have hepatitis C. More about when to take a test.
How do I order a free hepatitis C test kit online?
Order your free confidential SH.UK STI testing kit online.
- Answer a few quick questions
- We work out which tests are best for you
- Your free personalised test kit arrives by post in the next few days – in a discreet plain package
If you would rather get tested at a sexual health service, search for your nearest clinic:
If you live in England and think you may have been exposed to hepatitis C at any time in your life, you can order a free NHS hepatitis C test.
How do I complete a hepatitis C self-test kit?
SH.UK hepatitis C testing is done with a simple finger-prick blood test .
Your STI testing kit comes with everything you need to take your own blood sample. This is called self-sampling . You need a very small amount of blood – less than 1 millilitre.
You pack your samples into the freepost box and send them back to our lab for testing. You can post them in any Royal Mail postbox.
When will I get my hepatitis C test results?
You will usually get your results 2 or 3 days after your sample arrives at our lab.
You will be able to view the results online. They are completely secure and private.
Order your STI testing kit now to get your results as soon as possible.
What happens when I get my hepatitis C test results?
An SH.UK home hepatitis C test checks whether you have ever been exposed to hepatitis C.
If the test shows that you have hepatitis C antibodies, another test will need to be done to check if the hepatitis C virus is still present. You can get this test done at a clinic or you can order a free NHS hepatitis C test. They will do a test called an RNA test to check if you have hepatitis C now.
You can get hepatitis C more than once, so even if you’ve had successful treatment in the past, you could have hepatitis C again now if you’ve had new risks.
Reactive hepatitis C tests
A reactive result means hepatitis C antibodies were detected.
This could mean:
- You had hepatitis C in the past but your immune system cleared it
- You had hepatitis C in the past that was cured with treatment
- You have hepatitis C now
We will refer you to a clinic for a test to confirm if you have hepatitis C now. If you do have hepatitis C, you’ll be offered treatment to cure the virus and support to manage it.
Negative hepatitis C tests
A negative result means hepatitis C antibodies were not detected.
It can take up to 3 months before hepatitis C shows up on a blood test.
If it’s been less than 3 months since you could have been exposed to hepatitis C, it is advisable to test again later to check you still get a negative result.
Contacting partners
If you have hepatitis C, you will usually be asked to tell current and previous sexual partners and anyone you may have had blood-to-blood contact with.
Partners and contacts will be offered a free hepatitis C test and will be able to get free treatment if needed.
Informing, testing and treating partners lowers the chances of:
- Hepatitis C causing serious liver damage in a partner
- Hepatitis C being passed on to anyone else
If you feel unable to tell people, one of our Health Advisers can contact them without revealing your identity.
Preventing hepatitis C and other STIs in future
You can get hepatitis C more than once.
You can also get other types of hepatitis. You will usually be offered free vaccinations for hepatitis A and hepatitis B.
If you have hepatitis C, it is possible you may also have another STI. It is advisable to have a full sexual health screen, including tests for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B.
To help protect your health in the future, use condoms, test for STIs at least once a year, and encourage sexual partners to test for STIs too.
If you are HIV negative, you may benefit from an HIV prevention medicine called PrEP.
Free Hepatitis C Home Test Kit
If you are aged 18+ and live in England, you can order a free and confidential NHS home test for hepatitis C.
- Trusted NHS-funded hepatitis C self-testing kits
- Discreet delivery across the UK
- Fast confidential results
- Help getting the right treatment
- All tests and treatment are free
Check to see if SH.UK offers NHS-funded home STI test kits in your area.
Find your local STI services
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