HIV Treatment in the UK — Free for Everyone
HIV treatment in the UK is free for everyone. No status required, no documents, no payment.
The NHS does NOT pass your information to the Home Office, your employer, or anyone else.
With treatment, HIV is not transmitted (U=U). PrEP is free.
Urgent help and support
This is all confidential
GP, sexual health clinics, THT, the NHS — none of them pass information to the Home Office, your employer, or an embassy for immigration control purposes. Medical confidentiality is protected by law. The narrow exceptions are the same across all of medicine: risk to life, serious crime, a court order — they do not apply to routine treatment.
01
What HIV is — in simple terms
- HIV is a chronic condition, not a death sentencePeople with HIV on treatment live a normal life of normal length. It's no longer the disease it was in the 1980s.
- HIV is NOT transmitted through touch, food, hugs, or airOnly through blood, breast milk, and unprotected sex. Everyday contact is completely safe.
- U=U — with treatment, it is not transmittedUndetectable = Untransmittable. With effective treatment, the virus becomes undetectable in the blood and is not transmitted to a partner. Proven by major studies.
- Stigma back home is a thing of the pastIn the UK, doctors treat a person with HIV like any other patient. No judgement. Treatment is part of routine NHS care.
02
Treatment in the UK — FREE for everyone
Status matrix Antiretroviral therapy is FREE for:
Asylum seeker
Refugee / Humanitarian Protection
No status (undocumented)
NRPF (no access to public funds)
Overstayer (expired visa)
No documents / passport
Source: NHS England, BHIVA guidelines 2022 (updated 2025) · HIV treatment falls under "free services" — completely free for overseas visitors, not just "immediately necessary".
- Go straight to a sexual health clinicYou don't need a GP referral. Say: "I'd like an HIV test and treatment". No prepayment, no insurance. Need an interpreter — say "I need an interpreter in Russian", it's free.
- If a GP refuses — that's illegalBy law, a GP cannot refuse to register you or treat you because of your immigration status. Call NHS England: 0300 311 2233.
- Treatment is a pill once a dayModern antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one pill a day. If you stick to the regimen, your viral load becomes undetectable within 3–6 months.
03
Where to get tested — anonymously, for free
At a sexual health clinic
No GP referral needed. Rapid test — result in 15 minutes. Anonymous. Free.
Find your nearest clinic →Home test — by post
Order at freetesting.hiv or sh.uk (not available across the whole of Britain — only in certain areas of England, check the index). Arrives in plain packaging. Free. Results online.
PEP — after possible exposure
If there was a risk of exposure — go to A&E or a sexual health clinic within 72 hours. PEP is free. Don't wait.
04
PrEP — preventive treatment
PrEP protects against HIV by 99%
PrEP is a pill (or injection) taken before possible exposure. Free at any NHS sexual health clinic.
- Daily tablets or an on-demand schedule
- Injectable PrEP (cabotegravir) — limited access, for those tablets don't suit
- Say at the clinic: "I'd like PrEP" — no questions asked
- Available to everyone — no GP referral needed
05
If you test positive — what next
1
Don't panic — it's manageableA positive HIV test is the start of treatment, not the end. Modern therapy lets you live a full life.
2
You'll be referred to a specialistThe sexual health clinic or GP will refer you to an HIV specialist clinic. There they'll check your viral load and CD4 cell count and start you on ART.
3
Treatment starts right awayUnder the BHIVA guidelines 2022 (updated 2025), treatment starts on the day of diagnosis or within 2 weeks. You don't need to wait.
4
Regular check-ups — 2–4 times a yearMonitoring of viral load and general health. All free on the NHS.
5
Emotional support — from day oneTHT, Positively UK, Naz Project — support from people who understand. Call THT: 0808 802 1221.
This is not immigration advice. If you have questions about how HIV status affects an asylum claim, speak to an IAA-registered lawyer. HIV on its own is not a ground for refusing asylum.
06
Partner — notification and contact tracing
Partner notification — voluntary and anonymous
In the UK there is no legal duty to tell a partner about your HIV status (if you're on treatment and U=U). But clinics offer voluntary help:
- A clinic specialist can tell your partner anonymously — without mentioning your name
- Or you tell them yourself, with support from a specialist
- If you're on treatment and U=U — the risk of transmission is zero
- THT can advise on how to talk to a partner: 0808 802 1221
Common fears — and the truth about them
Fear
"The clinic will tell the Home Office or the embassy"
No. Medical data is not used for immigration control and is not passed to your employer or an embassy. The exceptions are very narrow (risk to life, serious crime, a court order) — they don't apply to HIV treatment.
No. Medical data is not used for immigration control and is not passed to your employer or an embassy. The exceptions are very narrow (risk to life, serious crime, a court order) — they don't apply to HIV treatment.
Fear
"Without a GP I can't get treatment"
Not true. Sexual health clinics see you without a GP and without registration. Treatment — no waiting list.
Not true. Sexual health clinics see you without a GP and without registration. Treatment — no waiting list.
Fear
"If I tell my partner, everyone will find out"
A clinic specialist helps you do this anonymously and safely. You stay in control of the process.
A clinic specialist helps you do this anonymously and safely. You stay in control of the process.
07
Confidentiality — your rights
Full confidentiality — it's the law
The Home Office will NOT find outThe NHS does not pass HIV status data to immigration authorities.
Your employer will NOT find outYou are not required to disclose your HIV status to your employer.
The embassy will NOT find outMedical data is not passed to embassies or foreign authorities.
Your asylum claim will NOT be harmedHIV status does not negatively affect how your case is considered.
Discrimination is illegalThe Equality Act 2010 bans discrimination based on HIV status in work, housing, and services.
Right to complainIf confidentiality is breached — complain to the ICO or through THT: 0808 802 1221.
08
Support: THT, Naz Project, Positively UK
As of May 2026Terrence Higgins Trust (THT)
0808 802 1221
The UK's largest HIV organisation. Confidential, free. Information, support, legal help, available in Russian on request.
tht.org.uk
Naz Project London
Specialises in supporting migrants, BAME communities, and LGBT+ people with HIV. They understand the cultural context.
naz.org.uk
Positively UK
Peer support — support from people who live with HIV themselves. Groups, one-to-one meetings, online.
positivelyuk.org
Find a sexual health clinic
Testing, treatment, PrEP, PEP — no GP referral, free, anonymous.
nhs.uk — find a sexual health clinic
09
Frequently asked questions
?Is HIV treatment in the UK really free?
Yes. Antiretroviral therapy is completely free on the NHS for everyone in the UK — including asylum seekers, people without status, without documents, with NRPF, overstayers. It's the law. Go to any sexual health clinic without a GP referral.
?Will my HIV status be passed to the Home Office?
No. Your HIV status is strictly confidential. GP, sexual health clinic, THT, NHS — none of them pass information to the Home Office, your employer, an embassy, or anyone else. Medical confidentiality is protected by law. HIV status does not negatively affect an asylum claim.
?What is U=U?
Undetectable = Untransmittable. With effective treatment the virus becomes undetectable in the blood and is not transmitted to other people. This is scientifically proven by major studies. People with HIV on treatment live a normal life of normal length.
?What is PrEP and how do I get it?
PrEP is a pill (or injection) that gives 99% protection against HIV infection. Free at any NHS sexual health clinic. Injectable PrEP (cabotegravir) is approved, but access is limited — for those tablets don't suit; ask at the clinic. Just say at the clinic: "I'd like PrEP".
?Will my employer find out about my HIV status?
No. Your employer has no right to know your HIV status. You are not required to tell them. Discrimination based on HIV status is illegal in the UK under the Equality Act 2010. If this happens, contact the Employment Tribunal or THT: 0808 802 1221.
?How do I tell my partner about HIV?
This is a personal step. In the UK, partner notification is a voluntary programme: a clinic specialist can tell your partner anonymously (without mentioning your name). If you're on treatment and U=U, the risk of transmission is zero. THT offers support: 0808 802 1221.
?Can I get tested anonymously and for free?
Yes. Free at any sexual health clinic without a GP referral. Rapid test — result in 15 minutes. Or order a home test at freetesting.hiv or sh.uk (not available across the whole of Britain — only in certain areas of England, check the index). Arrives in plain packaging. Completely anonymous.