UK PM Sir Keir Starmer takes public HIV test to reduce stigma around testing to mark National HIV Testing Week

In order to ramp up efforts to end the transmission of HIV in England, the UK Government announced on 11 February 2025 £1.5 million to fund further public health campaigns.

This additional funding is aimed at increasing testing rates, reducing stigma, tackling health disparities, and raising awareness of HIV and its effects.

The Government hopes to end all transmissions of the virus by 2030. It has also announced that it will extend the national HIV prevention programme – HIV Prevention England – by a year.

Terrance Higgins Trust and local partners will deliver this campaign – organisations that carry out important work to increase testing for people disproportionately affected by HIV and AIDS.

People with HIV can live long, health lives. If you’re worried about a recent sexual encounter, get tested with Better2Know today.

The first Western leader to take a public HIV test

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has become the first Western PM to take a public HIV test in an effort to reduce the stigma surrounding testing. Sir Keir took an at-home test at 10 Downing Street alongside soul singer Beverly Knight.

“It’s really important to do it and I’m really pleased to be able to do it,” the Prime Minister said. “It’s very easy, very quick.”

One of the biggest hurdles for people to get tested for HIV is the stigma that still exists around having a sexually transmitted infection. Stigma induces shame, which makes people less likely to seek medical attention and care. It’s estimated that thousands of people in the UK live with undiagnosed HIV.

The state of HIV in the UK

Despite enormous advancements in testing and treatment, HIV remains a serious health concern for the UK. But there are reasons to be hopeful.

In 2023, 95% of all people with HIV were diagnosed, 98% of people diagnosed were receiving treatment, and 98% of people receiving treatment were virally suppressed. From 2022 to 2023, overall testing for HIV increased by 8%, and the number of people accessing PrEP (preventative HIV medication) increased by 11%.

Nevertheless, challenges persist. In areas outside London, new HIV diagnoses have increased by 21%, particularly among individuals exposed through heterosexual sex. Between 2019 and 2023, new HIV diagnoses dropped by 44% among white men who have sex with men, but there has been no reduction in HIV diagnoses among men from ethnic minority groups.

Further funding should help address these areas of need.

How to get tested

If you or someone you care about are concerned about the possibility of having HIV, you can get tested with Better2Know.

Better2Know offers the HIV 28-Day DUO Test, a comprehensive test that can detect HIV 1, HIV 2, and the p24 antigen just 28 days after infection. This test is a fourth-generation test that is 99.8% accurate at 28 days. We also offer 10-Day HIV Testing and Instant HIV Testing for quicker results.

Final thoughts

Mike Asher, Chairman and CEO of Better2Know, had this to say about the new funding made available by the Government:

“We are pleased at the new initiatives announced by the UK Government to help fight the spread of HIV, which continues to affect a large number of people both inside and outside the UK. Public officials must continue to emphasise the importance of testing to help increase access to life-saving treatment and care. Better2Know will continue to offer vital testing options to all our patients to help ensure rates of HIV infections continue to drop. We all hope to live in a country where HIV no longer affects the long-term health of those infected.”

Click the button below to book a sexual health test at a clinic near or you, or call the number at the top of this page to speak to a member of our Patient Services team for more sexual health resources.

Don’t leave your sexual health to chance. Secure an STI test with Better2Know today.

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