This year’s National HIV Testing Week has begun with Prime Minister Keir Starmer becoming the first serving UK prime minister to take a public HIV test. Starmer took the rapid home test at 10 Downing Street to raise awareness that anyone in England can get a free HIV test this week to be done in the comfort of their own home.

Sir Keir Starmer becomes the first sitting prime minister to take a public HIV test. Joined by Terrence Higgins Trust representatives, the PM took a rapid home test to raise awareness of National HIV Testing Week. The government has committed to ending new HIV cases in England by 2030, with a new HIV Action Plan to be published in summer 2025.

Keir Starmer became the first serving UK Prime Minister and G7 leader to take a "public HIV test," the UK Prime Minister's Office shared on Monday.

Keir Starmer becomes first prime minister to take HIV test Source: PA

Keir Starmer has taken an HIV test in public as a way to de-stigmatise testing in the UK. The prime minister sat alongside singer and HIV activist Beverley Knight, and Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) chief executive Richard Angell to use the HIV home test kit.

Sir Keir Starmer has challenged politicians around the world to follow his example after becoming the first G20 leader to publicly take an HIV test. The Prime Minister took the rapid detection test in front of cameras at Downing Street to demonstrate the ease of finding out your status at home ahead of the Terrence Higgins Trust’s HIV Testing Week.