NHS begins rolling out free at-home HPV self-test kits to nearly 4 million overdue for cervical screening

NHS England has begun rolling out free at-home HPV self-testing kits to nearly 4 million people in England who are overdue for cervical screening, aiming to raise participation and help prevent cervical cancer.

The offer is not universal. NHS England said it is for people who have missed previous screening invitations, with the phased rollout starting from today for those ages 30 to 65. That wording does not fully match official GOV.UK guidance, which defines the screening population in England as people ages 24.5 to 64 who have a cervix. Eligible people will begin receiving invitations through the NHS App, text message, email or letter, and can then order a free kit through the app or their NHS online account.

The home kit uses a swab to collect a vaginal sample, which is then posted back to the NHS free of charge and tested for high-risk HPV, the virus linked to most cervical cancers. Cervical screening in England is designed to detect high-risk HPV before cancer develops. If the sample shows high-risk HPV, the person will be invited for a follow-up clinician-taken cervical screening appointment at a GP practice or sexual health clinic, with further tests such as cytology or colposcopy if needed.

NHS England said the move is intended to boost screening uptake and support its goal of eliminating cervical cancer by 2040. “Screening saves thousands of lives each year by preventing cancers and catching them earlier,” said Dr. Sue Mann, NHS England’s national clinical director for women’s health. She added: “Offering millions of women an alternative test they can do from the comfort of their own homes will be a gamechanger.”

The rollout comes as screening coverage remains below target. NHS England said 68.8% of eligible people in England were up to date with cervical screening, short of its 80% target, leaving around 4 million women not up to date with routine screening.

The policy is based on evidence from the YouScreen trial, run in 2021 by King’s College London with NHS Cancer Alliances. NHS England said the evidence suggests self-sampling could increase the number screened in England by about 400,000 a year and by more than 1 million over three years. Findings cited by the NHS said the approach reached under-screened groups, including people from ethnic-minority communities and more deprived areas, while follow-up after a positive self-sample was about 89%.

The rollout also puts into practice a recommendation made in June 2025 by the UK National Screening Committee, which advises governments on screening policy. The committee said HPV self-sampling should be offered to people who had not attended a routine cervical screening appointment within six months or more of their invitation.

Cancer charities welcomed the change. Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Cervical screening is a powerful tool that saves lives.” Athena Lamnisos, chief executive of The Eve Appeal, said: “Self-testing which can be done at home will be a step-change for many.”

NHS England said the kits are an additional option for people who have not attended after being invited, not a replacement for standard clinician-taken cervical screening for everyone. It also said people who have had the HPV vaccine should still attend screening, because vaccination does not protect against all HPV types.