A public health campaign to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 has been backed by £1.5 million from the government and will rollout 20,000 self-testing and self-sampling kits.

This week is National HIV Testing Week, and the government has marked the event by extending its national HIV prevention programme, HIV Prevention England, by a year. This campaign, delivered by Terrence Higgins Trust and local partners, aims to increase HIV testing for groups disproportionately affected by the disease, as well as reducing stigma and raising awareness.

During National HIV Testing Week (10th to 16th February 2025), anyone in England can order a free HIV test from Free Testing HIV to do at home. Recent polling on YouGov shows that more than 80 per cent of adults in England are unaware it is possible to test for HIV at home. When prompted as an option, however, 44 per cent of people would choose at-home testing as their preference, making it the most popular way to find out your HIV status.

The prime minister has shown his support by means of being the first ever serving leader of a G7 nation to take a self-testing HIV test on camera, showcasing to the nation that testing for HIV is quick, easy, free, and confidential.

After taking a test, the prime minister said: “It’s really important to do it, and I am pleased that I have taken part too. It’s easy, it is quick, and during National HIV Testing Week you can get a test for free, so it is a great time to take part.

“I people test, they will know their status, It is better that people know and that is a good thing because you can then get treatment to help meet our target to end new HIV transmissions by 2030.”

Additionally, new data by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that HIV testing in community settings is still a vital tool in diagnosing the disease for those who might not visit traditional testing venues like sexual health clinics.

In 2023, testing in community spaces like nightclubs, festivals, and voluntary sector premises increased by 7 per cent compared to 2022.

UKHSA’s report on HIV testing in community settings in England revealed that almost a quarter of tests were reported by people who were testing for the disease for the first time. This is a tangible effect of the impact of National HIV Testing Week, noting that there was a 22 per cent increase in the number of tests carried out in this time compared to 2022.

Dr Tamara Duretić, head of HIV section at the UKHSA, said: “HIV can affect anyone, no matter your gender or sexual orientation. It’s good to see HIV Testing Week once again highlighting the hugely important role regular testing plays in helping to prevent new infections, alongside condom use.

“Testing allows people to have access to free prevention interventions such as PrEP (HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis) and, should you test positive, ensures timely access to treatment that saves lives and prevents the virus being passed on.”