The HIV prevention programme will be extended to March 2026, as part of plans to end transmissions in England by 2030, a health minister has said.
The expansion is being backed by an extra £1.5 million in funding, newly-appointed minister Ashley Dalton told the Commons.
It comes after Sir Keir Starmer became the first Western prime minister to take a public HIV test, in an effort to destigmatise testing for the virus.
We’re investing a further £1.5 million to extend the National HIV Prevention Programme by a year.
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) February 11, 2025
This funding will support our goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 by helping us to increase HIV testing, reduce stigma and raise awareness.
📰: https://t.co/NSI4NB4IhV pic.twitter.com/K2T0odzjDg
Ahead of HIV Testing Week, which started on Monday, the Prime Minister took an at-home test at 10 Downing Street alongside soul singer Beverley Knight.
He said: “It’s really important to do it and I’m really pleased to be able to do it. It’s very easy, very quick.”
In a bid to boost HIV testing, more than 20,000 self-testing and self-sampling kits will also be made available, the Department of Health and Social Care said.
During health questions on Tuesday, Labour MP Matthew Patrick (Wirral West) asked: “Could (the Health Secretary) please set out his plans to ensure we have more HIV testing going beyond this important week?”
Ms Dalton replied: “Increasing HIV testing is a vital step towards meeting our goal, and will be a core element of our new HIV action plan, which will be published later this year.
We will extend the programme to a further year, to March 2026, backed by an extra £1.5 million
“It’s why we are investing over £4.5 million to deliver a national prevention programme, and it’s why, today, I can announce that we will extend the programme to a further year, to March 2026, backed by an extra £1.5 million.”
The prevention campaign is delivered by the Terrence Higgins Trust and local partners, and aims to increase testing for groups disproportionately affected by HIV and reduce the stigma.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Getting tested for HIV is quick, free and confidential, and I would like to pay tribute to the leadership of the Prime Minister for becoming the first in history to take an HIV test, the first leader in the history of the G7 to take an HIV test.
“As a former member of the independent HIV Commission, I’m determined that this Government will deliver our commitment to end new transmissions of HIV in England by 2030 and we’ll set this out shortly in our new action plan.”
