The cost of coronavirus testing for holidaymakers has been more than halved after the government threatened to crack down on “profiteering” companies.
It was announced yesterday that one of the country’s biggest test providers would offer “gold standard” PCR tests for travellers from as little as £60. Randox said that it was offering the service specifically for people booking international travel through a discount code being issued by airlines.
Analysis by The Times shows that testing companies in the UK were charging an average of £141 for each PCR test needed for overseas travel. That is more than twice as much as prices in other major European countries. Some companies charge the equivalent of £287 for single PCR tests, although this can include premium “express” results.
It is feared that the cost of testing will act as a significant barrier to overseas holidays this summer, particularly for families.
Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has already criticised “profiteering” from the testing industry. The government is considering removing the most expensive companies from an official list of recommended test providers, possibly as early as next week.
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EasyJet said today that it wanted to work with the government to drive down the cost of tests. The airline is ready to offer more flights from May 17, when restrictions will be eased to allow holidays overseas.
Johan Lundgren, chief executive, said that he expected most European countries to be on the government’s green list by then. He added: “EasyJet was founded to make travel accessible for all and so we continue to engage with government to ensure that the cost of the required testing is driven down so that it doesn’t risk turning back the clock and make travel too costly for some.”
The general secretary of the pilots’ union Balpa said that the government should subsidise the cost of any coronavirus tests required for international travel.
Brian Strutton told Sky News: “I think government should kick-start the whole of international travel by offering all the tests free to our frontline key workers — they deserve that, they deserve a holiday. It would be a really good way to get this initiative under way.”
Travel industry bosses have said that holiday bookings have remained flat for this summer despite the government’s announcement on Friday that some international holidays could be taken as early as May 17. John Bevan, European chief executive of Dnata, which owns Travel Republic, told Travel Weekly’s podcast that there had been “no uptick” in bookings in the last week.
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Alistair Rowland, chairman of Abta, the travel association, said that PCR test prices were partly to blame. He said: “We all want international travel to resume; we all need to make the food chain work. The last thing we want is one step in the chain — private providers of testing — profiteering from the position to stop international travel resuming.”
At present all non-essential overseas travel is banned, with the threat of £10,000 fines. People who do travel have to take a coronavirus test, which can be a cheap lateral flow test, up to 72 hours before boarding a flight back to the UK. Two further PCR tests are needed on the second and eighth days after arriving in the UK.
Last week the government announced that a traffic-light system would be introduced for international travel, although PCR testing will remain. People travelling into England from the safest “green” countries will only need one PCR test on arrival. Two will still be needed for those from amber and red destinations, along with up to ten days in quarantine.
Randox, which bills itself as the largest PCR testing provider in the UK, said that it would offer tests for £60 each. To qualify for the offer, people will have to use a discount code provided by airlines when booking an overseas flight.
Peter FitzGerald, managing director, said that the company was “committed to effective and economical testing to support holidaymakers and those undertaking international travel”.
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There are 121 testing providers on a list compiled by the Department of Health and Social Care for “day two and eight” PCR testing. One on the list, the Mayfair GP, charges £575 for the two-test package — £287.50 per test — although the premium service also includes a home visit and a courier service to take samples to the lab.
Others on the official list include London Medical Concierge (£549), Covid Home Test (£399), HealthClic (£399) and Coker Chest Clinic (£395), all for the two-test package.
One company, ViTOX, offers the two-test package for £350. It sells a single PCR express test under a separate government scheme — “test to release” — for £495, with results delivered within three hours. This scheme allows travellers to halve the ten-day period of quarantine with a negative PCR test result on the fifth day.
The PCR average cost across Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece is £61.77, according to travel industry analysis.
EU countries are able to charge zero per cent VAT on coronavirus tests, and some governments have chosen to subsidise or cap fees. In France tests are free for residents and in some regions of Italy the cost has been capped at €60 (£52). In the UK 20 per cent VAT is levied on the price.
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Last week Willie Walsh, former boss of British Airways and now director-general of the International Air Transport Association, said that the British government was “benefiting” from the high cost of PCR tests. He said: “They require you to do it and you’re paying VAT on it. I think that’s wrong.”
Paul Charles, chief executive of the travel consultancy PC Agency, said that reducing the price of testing was “the magic wand to recovery in the travel sector”. “More providers need to encourage people back to travel with lower per-person costs so as to stimulate the market,” he said.
Testing procedures
Testing will remain a feature of international travel for the foreseeable future, even for those going to or from “safe” countries.
The government requires travellers — including Britons abroad — to be tested up to 72 hours before they board UK-bound flights. This can include cheap “lateral flow” tests. Results must be presented on arrival into the UK, with £500 fines possible for failing to provide one.
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Travellers must then take further “gold standard” PCR tests on the second and eighth day after arriving. These cost an average of £141 each. The purpose is to identify people with the virus and to analyse results for the presence of mutant strains, including those from countries such as Brazil and South Africa.
Additionally, people can take a voluntary third PCR test on the fifth day after arriving under the government’s “test to release” scheme. A negative result releases them from the usual ten-day quarantine.
People must book the PCR tests before travelling. Results are normally provided in 24 hours. The Department of Health provides a list of accredited testing companies.
