The government has launched a scheme which will see thousands of people benefit from improved HIV testing and treatment under a new action plan.
Government unveils HIV Action Plan to tackle stigma and end transmissions in England by 2030, backed by £170 million
First ever national programme to re-engage people back into life-saving HIV care and treatment
Opt-out HIV testing in A&E will pick up infections earlier, when treatment is most effective
Thousands of people across England will benefit from improved HIV testing and treatment under a new action plan designed to end new transmissions by 2030.
The Action Plan, unveiled by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting today [Monday 1 December], tackles the stigma that remains a barrier for too many people - fear of judgement and discrimination means some people avoid getting tested, leaving infections undiagnosed and untreated.
At the heart of the plan is a first of its kind national programme will find and support people who are not accessing lifesaving HIV treatment and bring them back into care.
HIV is now entirely manageable - with the right treatment, people can live long, healthy lives and cannot pass the virus onto others.
Around 5,000 people are no longer in care, with reasons including mental health issues, addiction, poverty or fear of judgement.
This targeted support is particularly crucial for groups who are more likely to face problems including racism, stigma, poverty and housing issues that can make their lives more difficult.
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said:
On World AIDS Day, we honour both the memory of those we have lost and stand together with those living with HIV.
I promised to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and we are making this a reality thanks to our action plan, with a groundbreaking new HIV prevention programme, at home tests made available through the NHS App, and delivering opt out testing in emergency departments.
My message is simple - no one should ever have to fight HIV alone. Together, we will end the cycle of transmission, improve treatment and better protect people.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:
HIV treatment has been transformed. Today, people living with HIV can enjoy full, healthy lives - and can't pass the virus on to others. That's remarkable progress.
But we can go further. Ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 is ambitious - and this government is determined to make it happen.
Our national re-engagement programme, a truly innovative and agile approach, targets the epidemic where it's growing and leaving no one behind. We'll bring people into life-saving care and find infections early, when treatment works best, so everyone can live the full, healthy life they deserve.
Thanks to the work of determined campaigners across our country, ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 - a history making, world changing goal - is within reach. This government will now put its shoulder to the wheel to deliver this change.
Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said:
We're making progress - 95% of people living with HIV now know they have the virus. But around 4,700 people remain undiagnosed, including one in three in Black African communities and higher rates of late diagnosis in older age groups.
People need testing that meets them where they are, in ways that feel safe and accessible. We need to make starting PrEP straightforward for anyone who wants it, with particular focus on heterosexual and Black communities who are being failed by current disparities. And when someone is diagnosed, they should get consistent, respectful support that helps them stay on treatment and stay engaged in care.
This £170 million HIV Action Plan delivers on these priorities, enabling continued progress towards our 2030 goal.
Dr Claire Fuller, NHS England's National Medical Director, said:
The NHS is fully behind this Action Plan, which gives us the tools to diagnose people earlier, reconnect those who are not currently receiving care, and ensure every person living with HIV receives support without stigma.
Alongside opt-out HIV testing in A&E, we are launching a new £5 million digital trial so people can order home testing kits through the NHS App - making it easier and more discreet than ever to get checked.
With early diagnosis and the right treatment, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives and cannot pass the virus on and this plan brings us a major step closer to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030.
Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:
The government has an ambition that is both momentous and historic: that England becomes the first country in the world to end new HIV cases. This new plan recognises the scale of the challenge, with the biggest new investment in HIV testing and care in decades.
National funding to re-engage people in life-saving HIV care, putting HIV home-testing on the NHS App and long-term funding for opt-out HIV and hepatitis testing in emergency departments will be transformational. This is what people with HIV need. This is what we have been calling for. Now we must work together to make it happen.
The leadership involved in pulling off this remarkable suite of initiatives is a tribute to Wes Streeting, Ashley Dalton and Kevin Fenton. We are in their debt, but will not hesitate to hold their feet to the fire.
Robbie Currie, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust, said:
National AIDS Trust welcomes the commitments in the HIV Action plan which provides a solid foundation for achieving the goal of ending HIV cases by 2030.
Re-engaging people who are no longer in care is crucial to ensuring they can live well with HIV, and we're pleased to see a new national programme dedicated to this. However, stigma, discrimination and inequality still push people away resulting in poorer health outcomes. Stigma training for hospitals is a welcome step towards ensuring healthcare settings are safe and inclusive.
We are also delighted to see funding for formula milk - a priority we have campaigned on alongside our partners. This plan can get us on track to achieve the 2030 goals, but success requires rapid action and having the right policies in place across Government.
Anne Aslett, CEO, The Elton John AIDS Foundation, said:
The new HIV Action Plan is an important step toward ending new HIV transmissions in England. We welcome the extra funding for opt-out testing in emergency departments, a model the Foundation first piloted in 2018. The latest results speak volumes, over 90% of people newly diagnosed in EDs had never been tested for HIV before. Smart, targeted investment like this saves lives.
With up to 12,000 people living with HIV currently out of care, the £9 million investment in retention is crucial for keeping people healthy and stopping onward transmission. But without bold investment in prevention, including making PrEP widely accessible to everyone who needs it, ending new infections will remain out of reach.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the LGA's Health and Wellbeing Committee, said:
Councils are ready to play their part in delivering this national action plan through council-commissioned sexual health clinics, close partnership working, and developing their own locally tailored HIV plans.
We are committed to achieving the collective ambition to end new HIV transmission in England by 2030.
Local government, the NHS, and our wider partners must continue working together to ensure equitable access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment. This includes reaching underserved communities, supporting innovative approaches such as opt-out testing and a push on tackling HIV stigma in health and social care.
The Action Plan, backed by over £170 million, is also continuing funding for testing in A&E, meaning if you're having a routine blood test, you'll automatically be tested for HIV - unless you choose not to.
This testing programme is being delivered across areas with the highest rates, including London and Manchester, reaching thousands of people with undiagnosed infections who might never otherwise visit a sexual health clinic.
Communities most affected by HIV will also benefit from a national HIV prevention programme to improve awareness about safer sex, testing and treatment.
The prevention programme will work directly with those most at risk, providing tailored support and targeted testing to break down barriers and ensure no one is left behind.
Hospital staff will also receive anti-stigma training, so patients can access care without fear of being judged for their HIV status.
A groundbreaking £5 million trial, announced on Sunday will see home HIV testing kits ordered at the touch of a button through the NHS App.
The trial will allow at-risk patients to order home HIV tests seamlessly, receive results securely, and contact their GP or sexual health clinics - all from their phone.
The new digital service will offer a discreet route for those anxious about their sexual health to get tested without visiting a clinic.
The Action Plan comes as new UKHSA analysis published today shows HIV testing in England must adapt to reach the groups that need it most. The report reveals that while 95% of people with HIV are diagnosed, around 4,700 people remain undiagnosed - with additional investments in emergency department testing alone insufficient to reach all those in need.
Gaps remain in testing in lower prevalence areas and general practice settings that reach out to those who need prompt testing, including ethnic minority heterosexual populations and people aged 50 years and over.
Today [Monday 1 December], Minister Ashley Dalton will meet with people living with HIV and organisations working in the HIV sector to discuss and hear first-hand about how their experiences could be positively impacted by the HIV Action Plan.
Gillian McLauchlan, lead for sexual health for the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:
This new HIV Action Plan is particularly welcome because it recognises that only through true collaboration between local authority public health teams, the NHS, and the voluntary and community sector will the UK end HIV transmissions.
Sustained and adequate investment is also vital - not just in the fight against HIV but to ensure that everyone can access high quality sexual and reproductive health services at the right time for them.
James Woolgar, Chair of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners' Group added:
The plan's promise of continued investment in emergency department testing, the new national re-engagement in care plan, anti-stigma training and education are all very welcome. We of course also need a sustained commitment to the provision of PrEP and other prevention programmes.
I am extremely proud of the hard work and progress that local government has made in tackling this issue and, by strengthening collaboration, we can ensure evidence-based interventions reach communities more effectively, reduce inequalities, and tackle stigma. Only then can we reach our collective goal of zero new transmissions by 2030, and support those living with HIV to not only survive, but also thrive.
Professor Matt Phillips, President, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said:
The launch of today's Action Plan marks a pivotal moment in shifting the dial in the HIV response. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress we've made in recent years, and the work that still lies ahead.
Reconnecting those living with HIV who have been lost to care is a critical part of this work, and is key to achieving our target of reaching zero new HIV transmissions by 2030. The publication of this new Action Plan therefore provides us with a real chance to build on recent successes, through better enabling expert care and treatment to be accessed by all those who need it.
BASHH stands ready to work alongside the Government to help translate these vital ambitions into reality.
Dr Tristan Barber, Chair Elect of the British HIV Association (BHIVA) said:
The combination of prevention, treatment and testing, with an effective plan to re-engage people with HIV treatment and care, and access peer support, together provide a strong and pragmatic framework for progress.
It is vital that we prioritise the groups most affected by HIV, where diagnoses continue to rise. Half of all black African heterosexuals are diagnosed late, and women and young people also find it hard to access prevention using Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which should be available to everyone who needs it.
The success of Emergency Department opt-out testing has already shown what is possible so extending it, with the addition of at home testing via the NHS App, alongside renewed investment in sexual health services, will be key to achieving the 2030 goals.
Dr Amanda Williams, Paediatrician and Chair of the charity Chiva said:
Children and young people living with perinatally acquired HIV have to attend healthcare appointments and take medication their whole life, for what is still a highly stigmatised health condition. For many, missing appointments becomes more common in adolescence, and during the transition from paediatric to adult care. That's why we're pleased to see plans to tackle HIV stigma and re-engage people back into care.
We welcome the Government's decision to fund formula milk for all babies born to mothers living with HIV, who need it as part of HIV prevention measures during pregnancy through to post-birth - something that Chiva, The Food Chain and NAT have been calling for. Funding formula milk ensures women can follow medical guidance and are empowered to make informed choices about how to safely feed their babies without financial barriers.
Dr Zara Haider, President of the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, said:
We warmly welcome the publication of the HIV Action Plan, especially as it places women firmly within its focus by recognising the unique barriers they face in accessing HIV services. Measures such as funding for formula milk and sterilising equipment for women living with HIV, expanded opt-out testing, and tailored prevention programmes will directly support women who are too often forgotten.
With investment in home testing kits, a national HIV prevention programme, and plans to tackle the discrimination that still stops too many from seeking care, this Plan has real potential to improve HIV care in England by ensuring women are not left behind.
Darren Knight, Chief Executive, George House Trust, said:
George House Trust proudly backs the implementation of the new HIV Action Plan. Putting people living with HIV at the heart of this work, tackling HIV stigma, and ensuring everyone can live well and stay engaged in care isn't just important, it's essential.
We're ready to collaborate with government, health and care partners, and our voluntary sector partners to work for a world where HIV holds no one back.
Charlotte Cooke, Director of Services, LGBT Foundation said:
LGBT Foundation welcomes the HIV Action Plan. We are pleased that gay and bisexual men remain a priority, alongside men who have sex with men - a community we have long supported and recognised as needing targeted interventions.
It is key to invest in prevention in order to achieve zero transmissions by 2023. It is cost-effective, delivers long-term impact, and depends on working together to ensure equitable access and uptake of HIV prevention services. We are committed to playing our part in this effort.
Sophie Strachan CEO of the Sophia Forum said:
We welcome this new ambitious Action Plan and hope that this will help address the health inequities and improve outcomes that prevents further marginalisation of communities who have to date have experienced ongoing health inequalities and poorer health outcomes.
