UK govt are making a killing out of private travel tests...

[Plumedenom]

.. and they have no interest in making a digital covid passport available while they are making money out of private day 5 and 8 kits. I look at that list of private test providers and I see a massive list of 'jobs for the boys'.

While the rest of Europe have signed an agreement and will be ready to roll out a digital certificate of vaccination in July, our government haven't even engaged with Europe. They are spending money making another system when a perfectly good and secure system has been offered to them.

They want us to go on holiday here or pay exorbitant prices for tests if we do have to go. Anything to keep the money in the UK coffers, at the expense of freedom of movement.

There are 5 million UK nationals living in Europe. The majority go home at least once a year. Each test kit costs 200-300 quid. That is a hell of a backhander they are making. You tell me why posting two rapid flow tests in the post costs 300 quid. It is a scandal waiting to be uncovered.

The day two and eight ones are £40 @HeyDemonsItsYaGirl ? For both? Where did you get them? Which was saying the cheapest ones were £60 (each).

It’s not about the government paying for the tests so much as the need for them in the first place. Quarantine and test to release makes sense, and I suppose you could argue for a pre departure test to avoid spreading on a plane, but what’s the point of day 2, and why do they have to be costly PCRs if lateral flows are good enough for other walks of life? I’m for balance.

Not Europe, the EU. Huge difference.

The government is not a private corporation

So any “killing” they make is ultimately in the country’s interests.

The truth is, only truly desperate people are traveling at the moment. People with a really compelling need

Any number of threads on here would show that this is in no way true

@Mrbob

The truth is, only truly desperate people are traveling at the moment. People with a really compelling need

Any number of threads on here would show that this is in no way true

Loads of people were planning to but didn’t Most of the threads were those discussing whether to go And then didn’t Post a thread where many actually did go abroad

The truth is, only truly desperate people are traveling at the moment. People with a really compelling need

Oh piss off! I know a few people that have traveled recently for football matches!!

It’s such a racket.
My day 2 test arrived on day 5. Results came back on day 14. Day 10’s test hadn’t arrived by day 14.
And I got them from a company listed on the gov.uk site.
I travelled last month for my brother’s funeral (I’m a US citizen). My family is aggravating me with ‘come visit this summer!’ requests. I understand. We’re all grieving and being close is healing, but the testing is a prohibitive expense. I’m don’t want to even think about travelling anywhere.

This comes down to should MP’s be directors of companies while working as an MP

Absolutely not.

Testing should all be central and government run with no profits

@TheUndoingProject

But a digital passport is available using the app? And why on earth should the government provide testing for free just to allow people to travel? Factor the cost of private testing into your travel costs and stop being so entitled.

If travel is very expensive & therefore on a tiny scale, the Govt will just pay out furlough and ultimately unemployment benefits, collect less tax, lower GDP. Hayes will go bust and more empty shops in the high street.

There is no scientific basis to test on day 3 and day 8 of a ten day isolation... whats the point?
Just a money making venture, designed to keep us in the UK and to "punish" the EU.

It is not about people taking holidays. All sorts of people have reasons to travel in and out of the country. Including as noted above for funerals, family support, work(british cross-border workers leaving in the EU are shafted at the moment) etc.
Why are all the people travelling being branded as fancy-free holidaymakers who deserve to pay for their misdeameanours? Instead, focus on why private companies/individuals are being allowed/set up by the government to make money out of other peoples circumstances.

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

I have a test in my suitcase and the day 2 and 8 ones will be delivered when I return. It was £40. I don't think the government should pay for my tests when I've chosen to go on holiday...

I'd be interested to know where you got these from if you can share please?

@HeyDemonsItsYaGirl

Would you mind saying where you got the tests? I do not seem to be able to find any providers on the approved list selling at below £180 - £200 for the package.

They want us to go on holiday here or pay exorbitant prices for tests if we do have to go. Anything to keep the money in the UK coffers, at the expense of freedom of movement.

God forbid that the UK government should wish to help the UK hospitality industry which, if you will climb off your soapbox OP. you might notice is in dire straits and needs all the help it can get.

Oh and BTW this has nothing to do with "freedom of movement". Pay the cash, get the test done and you are free to go.

@QuentininQuarantino @chocolatesaltyballs22 @oystercatcher44 I got them through Tui with Chronomics. I think it's a special bundle rate for Tui customers.

If you need a PCR before travelling (ie you're not vaxxed) it was £90.

By the way I'm in Greece now and can confirm proof of vaccination through the NHS app is all you need! They do check the dates of your last vax so make sure it's at least 14 days before you fly.

Also remember your Passenger Locator Form if your destination country requires one. Lots of people had forgotten and there were many tears at the check-in desk...

PCR tests are free in the US. You can get a free fit to fly certificate too-

@FaceyRomford I actually would be supporting the British economy because I am a UK national who lives in Europe who has the audacity to want to attend my sister's wedding in the uk and want to spend a week with my elderly parents while my kids still have grandparents. I have no problem quarantining, I have no problem paying for a test. I do have a problem with companies profiteering out of my perfectly legitimate and legal circumstances, not delivering tests. I do have problems with MPs, former or current, setting up labs because they had a tip off that they can make big money. It is making the Italian mafia look like a youth club. Don't think the UK is impervious to corruption. Don't believe this isn't costing you money. It is. I'll give you an example - when the tests don't arrive, it is 119 who are being called and the NHS who are providing the tests and results. Meanwhile the private company run by an MP whistles down the road with that person's money. It is better known as daylight robbery.

@HeyDemonItsYaGirl I am waiting with baited breath for where you got a day 2 and 8 test for 40 pounds. I think you are going to have a nasty shock on your way home. Have you actually looked at the foreign office approved list of day 2 and 8 test providers? If you don't have that reference on your return form, you can't come home and will be turned away at the airport. It is minimum 100 per person. Absolute minimum (ok, 84 pounds if you are ok never receiving the result of the test).

@Hadalifeonce

Surely lateral flow tests are free from chemists and pharmacies? Tui offer a bundle for £20

Not sure why anyone would pay for lateral flow through the post?

You can only do the LFT for return to the UK (or at least England) when you are over there, and it can't be one of the free NHS ones. Even if you do them twice a week regularly anyway, it isn't allowed to be used. In Portugal some pharmacists had them for around €10-20 a time. They were fairly cheap at the airport too.

But for the pre departure test in England and for the day 2 (and 8 if amber/red) if must be a PCR and only a private one.

For DD's visit to see a friend the cheapest we found were £60 each.

Pre departure was fine but the day 2 wouldn't register. Company couldn't/wouldn't help, so we ended up having to buy another one which arrived today and she's had to do it today in day 4 (we've spoke to covid helpline who have okayed this as we have the evidence of the previous one) - another £60.

So her £36 return flight to see a friend for 2 days has cost us over £200 in tests and A LOT OF STRESS. None of it has been straight forward at all not helped by the change of status and a day of not knowing if it would happen, if it would be immediate or if not, which day, and if it would mean cancelling last minute (day she was due to go!) or changing return flight, etc.

Friend who lives in Spain did not need any tests to see Dd in Portugal or to return back. Granted she didn't travel by plane - she went by train.

I was surprised I didn't need to fork out for tests to do an internal flight tbh. Didn't even need to show evidence of a negative LFT or anything as was within the UK.

This summer many richer middle&upper classes will holiday in France - two vaccinated adults can bring their family no problem and the vaccine certificate can be downloaded on the NHS app in a few minutes, They have the money for a test to get there and often work from home.

The riff raff is expected to stay here all summer and spend, spend, spend in the interests of the economy. There is huge pent up demand and the Tories don’t want ya to spend it in Spaaain. So they have put in all these expensive pointless tests telling the Eu to stick one...
but in any case the delta variant is exploding here so better for the EU if most of us nor so people do stay here.
But the minimum wage workers from Poland and Romania are leaving in droves and won’t come back. Again, the Tories want this.

You can’t do a lateral flow and not show it to anyone whilst abroad. You need to contact with someone from the company you buy the test from via a video call. They teach you how to do the lateral flow and you show them the result. Otherwise you could lie and say your result was negative

Dd didn't need to do that. She just needed an email confirming a negative result to show the airline staff just before boarding. That was pcr predeparture in England, and lft or pcr before leaving Portugal.

Result did have to be reported in English, French or Spanish though. It couldn't be just in Portuguese.

@QuentininQuarantino

Randox is one of the biggest suppliers of PCR tests under the UK's "testing for travel" scheme.

Conservative MP Owen Paterson is paid £100,000 a year to act as a consultant for Randox.

The UK government has awarded a new £347m Covid-19 testing contract to Randox (incidendally there was a scandal last summer when testing kits had to be recalled over the summer because of concerns about contamination.)

The deal was agreed without other companies being invited to bid.

It means the health secretary, Matt Hancock, has now approved transfers of nearly half a billion pounds in taxpayer funds to the Northern Ireland-based company since the pandemic began.

We weren't impressed with Randox's service at all, and they were very unhelpful when we had the issue with the test that wouldn't register. Wouldn't help at all and because Dd had opened the box we couldn't even begin to try and send it back for refund. I had to simply wipe the cost out and buy a new one from a different company - so far service from the second company has been good, fingers crossed.

@Plumedenom

The fact Mr Malik is a Labour MP is neither here nor there. A former member of govt is now the director of one of these dodgy labs. Why on earth is the former Under-Secretary of State for Justice running a covid testing lab? Does that not strike you as odd? Opportunistic? Convenient? Also, I have no problem paying a reasonable amount for a test, but I expect to receive the result of that test in a timely manner. That should be a basic consumer right, that's the service. You can't leave the house until you receive it. Tracks Nd Texas hassle you if you haven't. The majority of labs are not doing that.

You do know that you don’t need to be a lawyer to be the Under Secretary of State for Justice, nor do you need to be a Biologist to run a Covid testing lab? Also, employing a member of your family in your business isn’t the evil thing you think it is. Thousands of successful businesses are family-run. Look at the Royal Family 🤣🤣🤣

You sound a wee bit envious.

As long as it’s the stupid people going on holiday being fleeced then that’s fine with me

What about those trying to see family and friends?
Those who have elderly or vulnerable parents/family who are ill?
Those who need to travel for a funeral?
Those who need to travel to actually return home as have been abroad working for the pandemic duration?

Is it okay that they are fleeced too?