COVID Testing at Home for Families

On Sunday 28 February, the Department of Health and Social Care announced that from Monday 1 March, households with primary school, secondary school and college age children, including childcare and support bubbles, can test themselves twice every week at home as schools return from Monday 8 March. Households, childcare and support bubbles of primary, secondary and college staff can also be tested. Twice-weekly testing will also be offered to adults working in the wider school community, including bus drivers and after school club leaders. The twice-weekly test kits can be accessed:

• via employers if they offer testing to employees

• at a local test site

• by collecting a home test kit from a test site

• by ordering a home test kit online

Schools cannot give test kits to parents, carers or household members and cannot order more test kits for this purpose.

This guidance provides information on who can be tested and how you can get a test.