Free HIV Testing Kit

NHS approved testing & NHS follow up services.

HIV home test kit

Description:

HIV testing through SH.UK is done with a highly accurate home STI test kit. Take your own sample, send it to our lab to be tested, then get your confidential results online.

You will need to collect a small blood sample. You prick your finger with a special needle called a lancet. Then you collect some drops of blood in the tube provided. We have lots of tips to help you collect your blood sample.

Availabilty: This depends on your age and where you live. Some areas have limits on how many testing kits can be sent out each day. Check the services we can offer you.

Delivery: £0.00 Free delivery in discreet plain packaging that fits through a letterbox.

Returning your samples is also free. Put them in the prepaid box then just post in any Royal Mail postbox.

STI Kit Cost: £0.00 (FREE)

Results: You get an email or text when your results are ready. This is usually within a few days of returning your samples. Log in to your secure, confidential SH.UK account to view your results online.

HIV test results are usually either negative or reactive. A negative result means the test has not found HIV. A reactive result means the test may have detected HIV and a follow-up test is needed. If you get a reactive result, someone from SH.UK or your local clinic will contact you to talk through the result and what happens next. You will be referred to a clinic for a further blood test to determine if you have HIV.

More about what test results mean

Treatment: If your blood test shows you have HIV, you will be offered support and free NHS treatment from a specialist HIV clinic.

Consultation: Our simple online consultation will check if a free home HIV test kit is right for you. We may also offer you other STI tests. These may need different samples, such as a urine sample or vaginal swab.

Find your local services

Will recommend to everyone who needs a Sexual Health Test and treatment. "Derek"


HIV

  • HIV is a virus that damages the body’s immune system. It can be passed on during sex and in a few other ways
  • There are different ways to prevent HIV being passed on during sex, such as using condoms and taking PrEP treatment
  • It’s possible to live with HIV for a long time and not notice anything wrong, so getting tested regularly is the only way to know if you have HIV
  • HIV can’t currently be cured, but HIV treatment can keep people living with HIV healthy and stop the virus being passed on to anyone else
  • If HIV is not treated early enough, it can cause serious illnesses which may eventually lead to death

Who should get an HIV test?

Regular testing is particularly important if you are:

  • Someone with a partner who is living with HIV
  • From a region with high HIV rates
  • A person who has unprotected sex with others
  • Someone who injects drugs and shares equipment

Even if you don't believe you've had sex or shared injecting equipment with someone living with HIV, it's recommended for most sexually active individuals to get a test for HIV and other STIs once a year or following a change in sexual partners.

  • A sexual partner is living with HIV and has a detectable viral load
  • You or a sexual partner have sex without a condom with a new partner or multiple partners
  • You are part of a population with a higher chance of getting HIV
  • You share drug injecting equipment
  • You are pregnant or planning to get pregnant

When should I get an HIV test

To keep healthy and avoid passing on the virus to anyone else, it’s important to detect HIV as soon as possible.

If you have HIV symptoms or think you may have another STI, get tested straight away. You may be able to order a free home testing kit or you may be referred to a local sexual health service.

If you have no symptoms, you can do a home HIV test at any time, but you may need another test later. This is because it can take time for HIV to show up on a test.

An SH.UK HIV test is highly accurate if it’s done 45 days or more after the last time you might have been exposed to HIV.

Check if you can order a free home testing kit.

What if I’ve had a recent high-risk exposure to HIV?

If there’s a high chance you have been exposed to HIV in the last 3 days (72 hours) you may be able to get an emergency HIV prevention treatment called Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP).

It’s best to get PEP as soon as possible to give it the best chance of working.

Check if you have been at higher risk and how to get PEP.


Reviewed by Dr. John White on 10th Dec 2024.


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