Treasury ‘pushes for free PCR testing to be scrapped NEXT MONTH to save billions’

Free Covid testing could be scrapped by the Treasury as soon as next month to save money, according to reports.

Sources told The Guardian that Chancellor Rishi Sunak‘s department wants to end most PCR testing for people with coronavirus symptoms, possibly by the end of March.

The only people who would still qualify for free tests would be those in hospitals and high-risk settings and vulnerable people who are eligible for antiviral medication if they contract Covid.

However, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has been urging caution and wants to keep the current testing arrangements until at least April 1.

Sage scientists warned this week that removing access to free testing would make it harder for people to take precautions against Covid-19.

It comes after Boris Johnson this week announced plans for ‘living with Covid’ as he said he intended to axe all virus restrictions in England by the end of the month.

Free Covid testing could be scrapped by the Treasury as soon as next month to save money, according to reports. Pictured: Free lateral flow tests being handed out in Walthamstow, north London, last December.

Sources said that Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s department wants to end most PCR testing for people with coronavirus symptoms, possibly by the end of March

If the plans to scrap free tests are implemented, anyone else with symptoms would either be given some free lateral tests, or have no tests at all.

Another option being considered by officials would involve restricting free lateral flow tests to people with symptoms over the age of 50, along with the clinically vulnerable.

Advice for people without symptoms to take regular lateral flow tests is expected to be scrapped.

The move is reportedly being considered due to concern about the enormous cost of mass community testing, which has run into billions.

The only people who would still qualify for free tests would be those in hospitals and high-risk settings and vulnerable people who are eligible for antiviral medication if they contract Covid

However, as well as the urging of caution from Sage scientists and the UKHSA, scientists are also said to be concerned that a reduction in PCR testing will harm efforts to detect new variants.

A Government has insisted that there are ‘no plans’ to stop free tests when the remaining Covid-19 regulations expire later this year.

It comes after reports last month that free lateral flow tests will be scrapped except in high-risk settings such as care homes, hospitals and schools.

It also emerged that contact tracing by NHS Test and Trace could also be scaled back. More than £6billion has been spent on mass testing using lateral flow devices.

A senior Whitehall source said at the time: ‘I don’t think we are in a world where we can continue to hand out free lateral flow tests to everybody for evermore.

‘It’s likely we will move to a scenario where there is less testing but where we have a capacity to ramp it up if necessary, such as in the winter.’