The legal framework
HIV care is free to everyone in the United Kingdom, including people with no immigration status — an explicit exception to the charging rules for overseas visitors. Sexual health clinics are open access and confidential, postal self-sampling is widely available, and PrEP has been routinely commissioned since 2020. Emergency departments in high-prevalence areas now test everyone having blood taken unless they decline.
Key points
| Cost | Testing, treatment and PrEP are free, including for people without immigration status |
|---|---|
| Sexual health clinics | Open access, confidential, no GP referral needed |
| Postal testing | Free self-sampling kits ordered online in most areas |
| PrEP | Routinely commissioned through sexual health services |
| PEP | From sexual health clinics or emergency departments |
| Opt-out testing | Emergency departments in high-prevalence areas test everyone having bloods taken |
| Criminal law | No specific offence; reckless transmission has been prosecuted as grievous bodily harm |
In practice
- Order a free postal test rather than booking an appointment if you have no symptoms.
- Ask for PrEP at a sexual health clinic; it is not usually prescribed by GPs.
- For PEP out of hours, go to the emergency department rather than waiting for a clinic to open.
- Tell the clinic if you have no immigration status: HIV care is exempt from charging.
Cost and coverage
Testing, treatment and PrEP are provided free of charge.
Recent changes
Opt-out testing in emergency departments has been expanded well beyond London and has identified large numbers of previously undiagnosed infections, including among people who would never have attended a sexual health clinic.
Where to go
- NHS sexual health clinics, findable online by postcode.
- Terrence Higgins Trust and National AIDS Trust.
- Your GP, who can test but not usually prescribe PrEP.
Worth knowing
HIV treatment is exempt from NHS charging for overseas visitors. Nobody should be deterred from testing or treatment because of immigration status.
Official sources and links
- NHS — sexual health — free testing and treatment, self-referral to clinics
- Terrence Higgins Trust — HIV and sexual health charity, free advice
- BHIVA — national clinical guidelines
- GOV.UK — official portal for public services and rights
- legislation.gov.uk — the statute book as enacted and revised