From today Brits will be limited to a single lateral flow test box every 72 hours to prevent stockpiling before free tests are axed on April 1.
In a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon, Boris Johnson confirmed free universal testing would end in England at the start of April.
But to stop members of the public buying more kits than needed in the month leading up to April 1, the government has limited sales to a single LFT box every three days.
Previously, people could buy one kit per day to check for Covid infection.
It comes as Johnson updated MPs on the ending of all coronavirus restrictions.
He says the UK must now scale back testing but that the UK will have the ability to ramp up testing in the NHS should the need arise.
He added that science advisors are "certain" there will be future new variants.
Boris Johnson told MPs: "Until April 1 we will still advise people who test positive to stay at home but after that we will encourage people with Covid-19 symptoms to exercise personal responsibility, just as we encourage people who may have flu to be considerate to others."
"It's only because levels of immunity are so high and deaths are now if anything below where you would normally expect for this time of year that we can lift these restrictions," he added.
"It's only because we know Omicron is less severe that testing for Omicron on the colossal scale we've been doing is much less important and much less valuable in preventing serious illness.
The "biggest testing programme per person of any large country in the world", he said, "came at vast cost", adding: "The test, trace and isolation budget in 2020/21 exceeded the entire budget of the Home Office.
"It cost a further £15.7 billion in this financial year and £2 billion in January alone at the height of the Omicron wave."
