- 82 companies – which makes up around 18% listed as offering
day 2 and day 8 tests - face being removed from GOV.UK list if
they advertise misleading prices
- GOV.UK to be updated to reflect true cost of travel tests
this week
- 57 companies to be removed as they no longer exist or do not
provide relevant testing service
- Regular spot checks will be introduced to ensure prices are
accurate and providers are legitimate
More than 80 private travel testing companies will be issued a
two-strike warning and could be removed from GOV.UK for
misleading prices, the Health and Social Care Secretary has
announced today (Monday 23 August).
Following a rapid review of the pricing and service standards of
day two and day eight testing providers listed on GOV.UK, 82
providers - making up around 18% listed - have been identified as
displaying lower prices on GOV.UK than are available on their
website at the point of checkout.
GOV.UK will be updated to reflect the true cost of the tests and
companies will be warned this week that they will be removed if
they advertise misleading prices again.
A total of 57 companies will be removed from the GOV.UK list
today as they no longer exist or don’t provide day two and day
eight testing.
As part of the ongoing review, regular spot checks will be
introduced from this week to make sure companies are complying
with the rules to ensure prices displayed are accurate, providers
are legitimate and companies have not changed their name to get
back on the list.
Health and Social Care Secretary
said
“It is absolutely unacceptable for any private testing company to
be taking advantage of holidaymakers and today’s action clamps
down on this cowboy behaviour.
“57 firms will be removed from the gov.uk list and a
further 82 will be given a two-strike warning - if they advertise
misleading prices ever again, they’re off.
“We are also introducing regular spot checks this week to make
sure all private providers follow the rules and meet our high
standards of transparency.”
Companies will be removed from the GOV.UK list if they fail to
take action within three days of strike one as part of the new
two-strike policy.
The findings of the review will be shared with the Competition
and Markets Authority to support their own review of the market
and align recommendations and actions.
The action will help ensure consumers can trust the testing
providers listed on GOV.UK and only the most reliable companies
are available.
Tests booked for travel with companies not listed can still be
used for travel, providing those companies meet legal
requirements.
Since the review began, the department has analysed and improved
processes for managing the private provider list on GOV.UK,
including introducing more stringent checks on pricing.
Guidelines will be published in due course to the market
addressing pricing and service standards.
Earlier this month it was confirmed that UK holidaymakers will
benefit from cheaper travel testing packages. As of 13 August,
the cost of NHS Test and Trace tests for international arrivals
were reduced from £88 to £68 for green or fully vaccinated amber
arrivals, and from £170 to £136 for 2 tests for amber arrivals
who are not fully vaccinated.
