The UK Government has said lateral flow tests will not always be free for everyone amid reports they could soon be phased out.
Earlier this month The Times reported on a "new strategy of living with Covid" for England set to be announced "within weeks". The plan would reportedly see free lateral flow tests provided only in high-risk settings like care homes, hospitals, and schools. They would reportedly also be available to people with coronavirus symptoms.
Wales' allocation of tests has been paid for by the UK Government. When we asked how the reported new strategy would affect people in Wales a Welsh Government spokesman said: “We need further details from the UK Government on any proposal for England before we can assess how this would impact Wales.”
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We asked the UK Government if it plans to bring in a charge for lateral flow tests. Its spokesman initially told us: "Everyone can continue to get free tests and we are encouraging people to use rapid tests when they need them."
But minutes later the spokesman provided an "updated" statement saying the government would "continue to provide free tests as long as necessary". The spokesperson was asked the criteria for free tests being considered "necessary".
Universal free provision of lateral flows will end "as the government's response to the virus changes", the spokesperson said. They did not provide a timeframe.
Earlier this month the Times quoted a Whitehall source as saying: "I don't think we are in a world where we can continue to hand out free lateral flow tests to everybody. It's likely we will move to a scenario where there is less testing but we have a capacity to ramp it up if necessary."
England's education secretary Nadhim Zahawi later told Sky the UK Government had no plans to scale back free lateral flow tests for high-risk settings while housing secretary Michael Gove said the tests would be free "as long as we need them". Prime Minister Boris Johnson said they would be available "as long as they're very important".
Labour's shadow health secretary in England Jonathan Ashworth has said plans to phase out free tests would hit "the low-paid and poorest" hardest.
A Welsh Government spokesman told WalesOnline: “Our current focus with the spread of the Omicron variant is ensuring we have an effective testing regime to break chains of transmission and reduce the spread of the virus. We continually adapt our testing system in response to how Covid-19 is impacting our communities to reflect balance of harms.
"Any changes need detailed consideration and assessment on impact especially for the more vulnerable. We do not currently have any intentions to move to a system where we would restrict access to lateral flow tests.”
The UK Government has said free lateral flow tests are part of its NHS test and trace funding of £37bn over two years.
Its spokesman said: “We will continue to provide free tests as long as necessary. It is one of the most important lines of defence alongside our vaccines programme.
"With cases remaining high we continue to process millions of tests a day – more than any European country – providing a free lateral flow device to anybody who needs one. We have enough free rapid test kits to meet demand with record numbers sent out to pharmacies and distributed across the country.”
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