Home kit
HIV Test
A fourth-generation blood test that detects both antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2 and the p24 antigen, which appears earlier than antibodies.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 1 to 2 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
1 infection tested for
HIV-1 and HIV-2
A fourth-generation test that looks for both HIV antibodies and the p24 antigen. Its window period is shorter than antibody-only tests, but a negative result soon after possible exposure should be repeated once 45 days have passed since that exposure.
Overview
A fourth-generation blood test, the current UK standard, which looks for both HIV antibodies and the p24 antigen. Because it picks up the antigen, it detects infection earlier than antibody-only tests. People take it after a specific exposure, as part of routine sexual health care, before starting a new relationship, or simply for peace of mind.
For anyone who wants an HIV result after a specific exposure or as part of routine sexual-health care. A fourth-generation test detects infection earlier than antibody-only tests.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone with a new partner, or a possible exposure at least 45 days ago
- People testing routinely between partners
Who it isn’t for
- Timing is everything with HIV testing. UK guidance is that a fourth-generation test is conclusive at 45 days after exposure, and a negative result before that does not exclude infection, so a repeat may be needed. If the exposure you are worried about was in the last 72 hours, this test is the wrong route: post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is time-critical and available now from an A&E department or a sexual health clinic.
- Go there, do not wait for a blood test.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- Condomless sex with a new or casual partner
- A partner who has been told they are HIV positive
- Sharing needles or injecting equipment
- A flu-like illness with a rash a few weeks after a possible exposure
- No symptoms, and wanting a routine check
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- HIV-1 and HIV-2Detected
- Result
- Reactive
- Range
- Not reactive
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIV-1 and HIV-2 | Reactive | n/a | Not reactive | Detected |
Doctor’s note (example)
The screening test is reactive. This needs a confirmatory test at a sexual health clinic, which we arrange with you by phone the same day. With treatment, most people with HIV live a long and healthy life.
Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- Your kit arrivesPosted to your door, with instructions and what you need to send your sample back.
- You take your sampleFinger-prick sample at home, or a clinic blood draw, your choice
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Home finger-prick kit
- Preparation
- Read instructions below
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
A negative result is only conclusive 45 days after exposure, so a negative taken before 45 days has to be repeated at 45 days.
What we can and can’t tell you
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
These blood tests look for antibodies to a virus, or for part of the virus itself, and are reported as reactive or non-reactive, or against a threshold, rather than as a normal range. A result reflects the time the sample was taken: a non-reactive result taken too soon after an exposure can miss an infection, so a test taken too early may need repeating. Depending on the test, a reactive antibody result can reflect past exposure or vaccination rather than an infection happening now, so the doctor reads it in context.
If you have symptoms that are new, severe or getting worse, contact your GP, an NHS sexual health clinic or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a result.
Frequently asked questions
When is a negative result reliable?
UK guidance is that a fourth-generation test is conclusive 45 days after the exposure. Before that a negative is reassuring but not final, and testing again after 45 days is the usual advice.
What if the exposure was very recent?
If it was within the last 72 hours, go to an A&E department or a sexual health clinic today and ask about PEP. It is time-critical and the window closes fast. A blood test now would not change that advice.
What happens if the result is reactive?
A reactive screening result always needs a confirmatory test at a specialist laboratory, and a doctor will explain the result and how to get specialist care. HIV treatment is highly effective, and with treatment most people with HIV live a long and healthy life.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 1 to 2 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
Both, it is your choice at checkout. Either collect a finger-prick sample at home with the posted kit and send it back as the instructions explain, or book a clinic appointment and have a trained clinician take the sample for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is tested at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released to your secure portal, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. Each marker is reported the way the laboratory sends it, for example reactive or non-reactive, or as a level against the laboratory's threshold, with the doctor's note on what the results mean together. A reactive result may need a confirmatory test, and the report explains how that and any treatment are arranged, usually through your GP or an NHS sexual health clinic. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find.
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