STI home test kits: what you need to know

UNeed2Know tests are simple to use, and you don’t need any medical knowledge.

But our home STI tests aren’t right for everyone:

• We can’t sell you a kit if you’re under the age of 16. You can get help from a sexual health clinic, who won’t tell anyone you’ve been there.
• If you’ve been assaulted, you can visit a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). They can handle STI testing and emergency contraception for you, as well as giving you other support. If you want to report the crime, the SARC can help you do this. You can also seek help from a sexual health clinic, an A&E department, your GP, or by going straight to the police.
• If you think you may have been exposed to HIV in the past 72 hours, perhaps through unprotected sex, sexual assault or needle exposure, take an emergency medication called Post-Exposure Prophylaxis After Sexual Exposure (PEPSE) as soon as you can. If taken early enough, it can stop the virus in its tracks. Get it from a sexual health clinic, a SARC, or A&E.

Yes, they are, as long as you follow all of the steps and then return your samples by pre-paid post, quickly.

It’s a good idea to read the instructions fully before you start taking your sample. And don’t forget to wash your hands first!

This will help you to get a good sample that can be tested in a lab. Otherwise, your sample could be spoiled, or there might not be enough of it to test. If that happens, you will need to order a new test kit.

With UNeed2Know you can test at home for most STIs: chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes 1 and 2, mycoplasma, ureaplasma, gardnerella, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and hepatitis B. Read more about the STIs we test for

If you test positive for chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gardnerella, mycoplasma, ureaplasma or herpes 1 or 2 with UNeed2Know, we can give you an online prescription to take to a pharmacy. We also offer a video call with one of our GPs, so you can speak to them from the privacy of your home.

When you test for HIV, hepatitis B or syphilis, the finger-prick blood sample you take at home will be tested to see if you get a ‘positive’ result. This doesn’t mean you have one of these STIs for certain, but it will mean you need more tests to check and confirm.

You can book these tests with your GP, or with us at UNeed2Know. Click here to learn more about our confirmation tests.

All our tests come in plain, unmarked packaging. They look like any other parcel. Our tests also fit through the door, so you don’t need to wait at home for them.

No, although with UNeed2Know, you don’t have to wait long. Once our lab receives a sample, we process it and provide the results within three days. The wait is often much less than that.

Your results are a total secret, and so are any details you share. You don’t even have to give your real name when you order a test, if you don’t want to.

The notes in our test kits explain how to set up an online account. This is a secure place where you can see your results as soon as they are ready.

If you want to know more about how we process your data, you can check out our privacy policy here.

[All last accessed 1 November 2022]

BASHH. 2018. A guide to – PEPSE (Post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV following sexual exposure). The Clinical Effectiveness Group of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH). www.bashhguidelines.org

Clutterbuck D, Asboe D, Barber T, et al. on behalf of BASHH. 2016. 2016 United Kingdom national guideline on the sexual health care of men who have sex with men. International Journal of STD & AIDS. 0(0) 1–4. www.bashhguidelines.org

GOV.UK. 2022. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): annual data tables. [online] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/sexually-transmitted-infections-stis-annual-data-tables

hcrg. 2022. At Home STI Tests. hcrg, Care Group, Sexual Health Hub. www.thesexualhealthhub.co.uk

NHS. 2018. Emergency contraception (morning after pill, IUD). NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk

NHS. 2021. HIV and AIDS Diagnosis. NHS Choices. www.nhs.uk.

NHS. 2019. How should I collect and store a pee (urine) sample?. NHS, Common health questions. www.nhs.uk

NHS. 2021. Help after rape and sexual assault. NHS, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk

NHS. 2018. Visiting an STI clinic. NHS Choices. www.nhs.uk

NICE. 2022. Reducing sexually transmitted infections. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clinical guideline, 190. www.nice.org.uk

NICE. 2022. Herpes simplex – genital: Scenario: First episode. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clinical Knowledge Summaries. www.cks.nice.org.uk

SH:24. 2022. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). www.sh24.org.uk

SHAC. 2022. BrightOnline STI Test Kit Instructions. Brighton & Hove Sexual Health & Contraception Service. www.brightonsexualhealth.comNHS. 2018. Visiting an STI clinic. NHS Choices. www.nhs.uk

Solent NHS Trust. 2022. Testing & Treatment of STIs. NHS, letstalkaboutit. www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk