HIV Testing Week: Taking Testing Into Our Communities

HIV Testing Week is an annual opportunity to encourage more people to test for HIV, challenge stigma, and remind everyone that knowing your status is a normal part of looking after your health.

This year, our focus is on meeting people where they are. Throughout HIV Testing Week, we’ll be working with partners across the region to take free, confidential HIV testing into a wide range of community settings. By offering testing outside of traditional testing spaces, we aim to make it easier for people to access a test in a way that feels comfortable and convenient.

Why HIV Testing Still Matters

Thanks to advances in treatment, people living with HIV who are diagnosed early and on effective treatment can live long, healthy lives and cannot pass HIV on to others. This is known as U=U: Undetectable = Untransmittable.

Despite this, late diagnosis remains a concern. Many people don’t test because they think HIV doesn’t affect them, feel anxious about the result, or worry about stigma. HIV Testing Week helps challenge these misconceptions and reinforces a simple message: anyone who is sexually active can be affected by HIV, and regular testing is a positive step for your health.

What We’re Doing During HIV Testing Week

During the week, our teams and partners will be:

• Providing free, confidential HIV testing in community venues and via online home testing kits

• Sharing clear, accessible information about HIV, testing, and prevention

• Promoting positive messages around U=U and reducing HIV-related stigma

• Signposting people to ongoing sexual health support and services

Alongside in-person activity, we’ll also be sharing information online to help raise awareness of HIV testing, encourage conversations, and remind people that support is available all year round - not just during HIV Testing Week.

Working in Partnership

HIV Testing Week is a collaborative effort. We’re grateful to the many local organisations, services and community groups who are working with us to deliver activity, share messages, and help reach people who may otherwise be missed.

By working together, we can make testing more visible, more accessible, and more normal.

Find Out More

We’ll be sharing details of local testing opportunities shortly. If you’re unable to attend an event, there are also other ways to test, including through sexual health services and free home testing kits.

HIV Testing Week is about empowerment, choice, and community - and we’re proud to be part of a collective effort to end new HIV transmissions and tackle stigma.

Find out more by clicking here