One in five Brits don’t think Covid lateral flow tests should be free and are ‘willing to pay’ for home kits

ONE in five Brits would be willing to pay for lateral flow tests – as 45 per cent believe the government ‘can’t keep giving them away for free.’

On average, those who would be happy to pay for a pack of seven tests would be prepared to part with £10.50 per box.

However, 78 per cent believe the tests should be given away for free when covid restrictions are in place.

While three in 10 would feel ‘frustrated’ if free tests were removed, 44 per cent would be ‘annoyed’ – and a quarter would be left feeling anxious.

More than one in 10 of respondents, meanwhile, believe LFT-style tests aren’t particularly reliable.

One in five have experienced ‘conflicting’ results when taking multiple tests in a short space of time, and 23 per cent feel they were developed too quickly to be truly accurate.

The research was commissioned by government-recognised covid test provider Medicspot, whose spokesperson said: “Lateral flow tests are now an inescapable part of modern life.

“You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who wasn’t intimately familiar with swabs to the back of the throat and the nose.”

The study also found 73 per cent of adults believe it is a ‘waste’ of LFTs to take one every single day.

And half have ‘stocked up’ on home kits, so their household wouldn’t be without in case the run of free kits did come to an end.

Despite 29 per cent reporting conflicting results from different LFTs, eight in 10 feel the kits have been vital in the nation’s fight against covid.

While 64 per cent said the tests have given them peace of mind during a turbulent time for the nation.

But more than half have struggled at times to get hold of the kits, as they were ‘out of stock’ at pharmacies and online.

Another 42 per cent didn’t think lateral flow tests would stay free for as long as they have done, according to the OnePoll research.

Medicspot’s spokesperson added: “The value of the peace of mind given by a negative LFT before meeting people can’t be overstated.

“By and large, lateral flow tests have been enormously successful in helping contain covid and keeping people safe.

“It’s yet to be seen whether the government will be keeping LFTs free or starting to charge for them – and how easy it will be to get hold of them.

“But for now, we should appreciate the important role lateral flow tests have played in helping people get back to a sense of normality.”