A cut in the price of some Covid tests by a fifth has been branded as no more than a “token step forward”.
The cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals is being reduced from £88 to £68 for green or fully vaccinated arrivals from amber destinations, and from £170 to £136 for two tests for those arriving from amber countries who are not fully vaccinated.
Health secretary Sajid Javid also announced a “rapid internal review” of the pricing and service standards of all providers of day two and eight tests.
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“Any misleading pricing will be clamped down on swiftly and we will urgently remove listings found to have misleading prices,” the Department of Health and Social Care said.
However, Friday’s announcement was seen as being too little, too late to counter the costs of testing – branded as “rip-off” my many politicians – as the industry is already mid-way through the August summer peak period for foreign holidays.
Business Travel Association chief executive Clive Wratten said: “The health secretary’s decision to cut the price of government PCR tests is a token small step forward.
“These tests remain prohibitively expensive in comparison to other countries and the private sector is unregulated.
“UK travellers are currently facing unacceptable demands in order to travel safely, despite our effective vaccine programme.
“This Wild West of testing must be brought under control to give business and leisure travellers confidence.”
And Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said questioned in a tweet: “When have NHS sold PCR test for travel? Costs to be cut from £88 to £68 for 1 test, from £170 to £136 for 2? This is not competitive.
Since when have NHS sold PCR tests for travel? Costs to be cut from £88 to £68 for 1 test from £170 to £136 for 2? This is NOT competitive. The cost of testing is NOT the major factor impacting confidence to book its changing rules & pre departure test. https://t.co/tA19aFuSSB
— Julia Lo Bue-Said (@jlo_said) August 13, 2021
“Brits can travel around most of Europe freely without testing (vaxxed only) but as soon as we travel home meaningless test have to be taken. It’s the testing prices that needs reviewing and not just the cost in isolation.
“This policy really does need scrapping as it is only benefiting the private test providers who are more competitive anyway than the prices announced by Sajid Javid.”
Labour MP for Exeter Ben Bradshaw described the government’s Covid travel rules as an “expensive mess”.
He called on prime minister Boris Johnson to scrap both VAT on PCR tests and tests completely for vaccinated arrivals from green and amber list countries.
Transport select committee chairman Huw Merriman last week wrote to Javid calling on the government to urgently address the “high cost, poor quality and lack of sequencing” from PCR tests, arguing that they are an “unnecessary barrier to affordable international travel”.
The DHSC insisted that NHS Test and Trace advertises tests alongside private companies’ testing packages “and they are available to purchase to fulfil the UK government’s testing requirements for international travel”.
The ten-day government review started at the weekend. Providers failing to meet necessary standards will be “urgently removed”.
This follows a request from Javid a week earlier for an urgent high-level review from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to address exploitative behaviour in the private testing market and crack down on excessive pricing or misleading claims.
The competition watchdog will provide ongoing support to DHSC will it carries out the review.
Javid said: “I know how much people have looked forward to their summer holidays and that the cost of PCR testing can be a barrier to that.
“That is why I am determined to protect consumers and hardworking families from exploitative practices and ensure high quality tests are available at a reasonable price.
“Too many providers are acting like cowboys and that needs to stop. The public should be allowed to enjoy their summer holidays without having to face excessive costs or anxiety.”
Javid also ordered an urgent review of the list private providers on gov.uk “to ensure pricing is clearer and transparent”.
He said: “Any provider found to be misleading the public will be kicked off.”
The DHSC added: “Top quality clinical standards are fundamental to a successful testing programme. Test providers must use laboratories that are either accredited or undergoing accreditation by the independent United Kingdom Accreditation Service.
“Companies using laboratories that fail to meet the high standards required will be removed from the list of approved suppliers without hesitation.”
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said:”The government cutting the cost of tests provided through the Corporate Travel Management (CTM) service it runs is good news for travellers in Wales and Scotland who are required to use its services at a high price.
“However, while it’s good to see this cost reduction, there remain better priced tests available for travellers in England, so it’s hard to see what meaningful difference this will make. That’s especially true when there are so many complaints about CTM.
“If the government is serious about fixing the test for the travel sector it should start with its own provider which has been repeatedly criticised by customers for poor customer service and slow refunds.”
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