National HIV Testing Week takes place from Monday 9 to Sunday 15 February 2026 and highlights the importance of regular HIV testing.

HIV testing is the only way to know your HIV status. Many people can live with HIV for years without symptoms, which means they may not realise they have it. Early testing allows people who are diagnosed to start treatment promptly, stay healthy, and prevent passing HIV on to others.

In England, an estimated 4,700 people are living with undiagnosed HIV. Data from UK Health Security Agency shows that 42% of HIV diagnoses are made late, when treatment is less effective and health outcomes are poorer. People diagnosed late are 10 times more likely to die within a year than those diagnosed early.

The good news is that HIV testing is quick, confidential and free. Once on effective treatment, people living with HIV can lead long, healthy lives and cannot pass HIV on during sex.

Sarah, an NHS colleague who lives with HIV, is encouraging people to get tested and says: “Getting tested for HIV may feel like a really scary thing to do, and I understand that it may feel like you are standing on a cliff whilst waiting for the result.

“However, knowing your status allows you to move forward with certainty and confidence whatever the result.

“I have achieved so much since my diagnosis but it would have been so much easier if I had got tested earlier.”

There are several ways to get tested, including:

• Ordering a free test online at freetesting.hiv
• Visiting a sexual health clinic
• Speaking to your GP
• Accessing testing through community and voluntary organisations

Anyone diagnosed with HIV in the UK can access free treatment and ongoing support.

National HIV Testing Week is also an opportunity to challenge myths about HIV, reduce stigma, and encourage open conversations about sexual health. Knowing your status protects your health and helps protect others too.