Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 1 December 2025.

The government has launched a scheme which will see thousands of people benefit from improved HIV testing and treatment under a new action plan.

• Government unveils HIV Action Plan to tackle stigma and end transmissions in England by 2030, backed by £170 million   
• First ever national programme to re-engage people back into life-saving HIV care and treatment   
• Opt-out HIV testing in A&E will pick up infections earlier, when treatment is most effective   

Thousands of people across England will benefit from improved HIV testing and treatment under a new action plan designed to end new transmissions by 2030.   

The Action Plan, unveiled by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting today [Monday 1 December], tackles the stigma that remains a barrier for too many people – fear of judgement and discrimination means some people avoid getting tested, leaving infections undiagnosed and untreated.   

At the heart of the plan is a first of its kind national programme will find and support people who are not accessing lifesaving HIV treatment and bring them back into care.     

HIV is now entirely manageable – with the right treatment, people can live long, healthy lives and cannot pass the virus onto others.   

Around 5,000 people are no longer in care, with reasons including mental health issues, addiction, poverty or fear of judgement.    

This targeted support is particularly crucial for groups who are more likely to face problems including racism, stigma, poverty and housing issues that can make their lives more difficult.    

Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, said: 

On World AIDS Day, we honour both the memory of those we have lost and stand together with those living with HIV. 

I promised to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and we are making this a reality thanks to our action plan, with a groundbreaking new HIV prevention programme, at home tests made available through the NHS App, and delivering opt out testing in emergency departments.

My message is simple – no one should ever have to fight HIV alone. Together, we will end the cycle of transmission, improve treatment and better protect people.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:   

HIV treatment has been transformed. Today, people living with HIV can enjoy full, healthy lives – and can’t pass the virus on to others. That’s remarkable progress.   

But we can go further. Ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 is ambitious – and this government is determined to make it happen.  

Our national re-engagement programme, a truly innovative and agile approach, targets the epidemic where it’s growing and leaving no one behind.  We’ll bring people into life-saving care and find infections early, when treatment works best, so everyone can live the full, healthy life they deserve.   

Thanks to the work of determined campaigners across our country, ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 – a history making, world changing goal – is within reach. This government will now put its shoulder to the wheel to deliver this change.

Professor Susan Hopkins, Chief Executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said: 

We’re making progress – 95% of people living with HIV now know they have the virus. But around 4,700 people remain undiagnosed, including one in three in Black African communities and higher rates of late diagnosis in older age groups. 

People need testing that meets them where they are, in ways that feel safe and accessible. We need to make starting PrEP straightforward for anyone who wants it, with particular focus on heterosexual and Black communities who are being failed by current disparities. And when someone is diagnosed, they should get consistent, respectful support that helps them stay on treatment and stay engaged in care. 

This £170 million HIV Action Plan delivers on these priorities, enabling continued progress towards our 2030 goal.

Dr Claire Fuller, NHS England’s National Medical Director, said:  

The NHS is fully behind this Action Plan, which gives us the tools to diagnose people earlier, reconnect those who are not currently receiving care, and ensure every person living with HIV receives support without stigma.

Alongside opt-out HIV testing in A&E, we are launching a new £5 million digital trial so people can order home testing kits through the NHS App – making it easier and more discreet than ever to get checked. 

With early diagnosis and the right treatment, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives and cannot pass the virus on and this plan brings us a major step closer to ending new HIV transmissions in England by 2030.

Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said:  

The government has an ambition that is both momentous and historic: that England becomes the first country in the world to end new HIV cases. This new plan recognises the scale of the challenge, with the biggest new investment in HIV testing and care in decades.  

National funding to re-engage people in life-saving HIV care, putting HIV home-testing on the NHS App and long-term funding for opt-out HIV and hepatitis testing in emergency departments will be transformational. This is what people with HIV need. This is what we have been calling for. Now we must work together to make it happen.  

The leadership involved in pulling off this remarkable suite of initiatives is a tribute to Wes Streeting, Ashley Dalton and Kevin Fenton. We are in their debt, but will not hesitate to hold their feet to the fire.

Robbie Currie, Chief Executive, National AIDS Trust, said:   

National AIDS Trust welcomes the commitments in the HIV Action plan which provides a solid foundation for achieving the goal of ending HIV cases by 2030.    

Re-engaging people who are no longer in care is crucial to ensuring they can live well with HIV, and we’re pleased to see a new national programme dedicated to this. However, stigma, discrimination and inequality still push people away resulting in poorer health outcomes. Stigma training for hospitals is a welcome step towards ensuring healthcare settings are safe and inclusive.   

We are also delighted to see funding for formula milk – a priority we have campaigned on alongside our partners. This plan can get us on track to achieve the 2030 goals, but success requires rapid action and having the right policies in place across Government.

Anne Aslett, CEO, The Elton John AIDS Foundation, said:   

The new HIV Action Plan is an important step toward ending new HIV transmissions in England. We welcome the extra funding for opt-out testing in emergency departments, a model the Foundation first piloted in 2018. The latest results speak volumes, over 90% of people newly diagnosed in EDs had never been tested for HIV before. Smart, targeted investment like this saves lives.  

With up to 12,000 people living with HIV currently out of care, the £9 million investment in retention is crucial for keeping people healthy and stopping onward transmission. But without bold investment in prevention, including making PrEP widely accessible to everyone who needs it, ending new infections will remain out of reach.

Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said:   

Councils are ready to play their part in delivering this national action plan through council-commissioned sexual health clinics, close partnership working, and developing their own locally tailored HIV plans.  

We are committed to achieving the collective ambition to end new HIV transmission in England by 2030.  

Local government, the NHS, and our wider partners must continue working together to ensure equitable access to HIV prevention, testing and treatment. This includes reaching underserved communities, supporting innovative approaches such as opt-out testing and a push on tackling HIV stigma in health and social care.

The Action Plan, backed by over £170 million, is also continuing funding for testing in A&E, meaning if you’re having a routine blood test, you’ll automatically be tested for HIV – unless you choose not to.    

This testing programme is being delivered across areas with the highest rates, including London and Manchester, reaching thousands of people with undiagnosed infections who might never otherwise visit a sexual health clinic.   

Communities most affected by HIV will also benefit from a national HIV prevention programme to improve awareness about safer sex, testing and treatment.   

The prevention programme will work directly with those most at risk, providing tailored support and targeted testing to break down barriers and ensure no one is left behind.   

Hospital staff will also receive anti-stigma training, so patients can access care without fear of being judged for their HIV status.   

A groundbreaking £5 million trial, announced on Sunday will see home HIV testing kits ordered at the touch of a button through the NHS App.     

The trial will allow at-risk patients to order home HIV tests seamlessly, receive results securely, and contact their GP or sexual health clinics – all from their phone.   

The new digital service will offer a discreet route for those anxious about their sexual health to get tested without visiting a clinic.   

The Action Plan comes as new UKHSA analysis published today shows HIV testing in England must adapt to reach the groups that need it most. The report reveals that while 95% of people with HIV are diagnosed, around 4,700 people remain undiagnosed – with additional investments in emergency department testing alone insufficient to reach all those in need.

Gaps remain in testing in lower prevalence areas and general practice settings that reach out to those who need prompt testing, including ethnic minority heterosexual populations and people aged 50 years and over. 

Today [Monday 1 December], Minister Ashley Dalton will meet with people living with HIV and organisations working in the HIV sector to discuss and hear first-hand about how their experiences could be positively impacted by the HIV Action Plan.   

Gillian McLauchlan, lead for sexual health for the Association of Directors of Public Health, said:  

This new HIV Action Plan is particularly welcome because it recognises that only through true collaboration between local authority public health teams, the NHS, and the voluntary and community sector will the UK end HIV transmissions.   

Sustained and adequate investment is also vital – not just in the fight against HIV but to ensure that everyone can access high quality sexual and reproductive health services at the right time for them.

James Woolgar, Chair of the English HIV and Sexual Health Commissioners’ Group added:  

The plan’s promise of continued investment in emergency department testing, the new national re-engagement in care plan, anti-stigma training and education are all very welcome. We of course also need a sustained commitment to the provision of PrEP and other prevention programmes.  

I am extremely proud of the hard work and progress that local government has made in tackling this issue and, by strengthening collaboration, we can ensure evidence-based interventions reach communities more effectively, reduce inequalities, and tackle stigma. Only then can we reach our collective goal of zero new transmissions by 2030, and support those living with HIV to not only survive, but also thrive.

Professor Matt Phillips, President, British Association for Sexual Health and HIV, said:  

The launch of today’s Action Plan marks a pivotal moment in shifting the dial in the HIV response. It also offers an opportunity to reflect on the progress we’ve made in recent years, and the work that still lies ahead.  

Reconnecting those living with HIV who have been lost to care is a critical part of this work, and is key to achieving our target of reaching zero new HIV transmissions by 2030. The publication of this new Action Plan therefore provides us with a real chance to build on recent successes, through better enabling expert care and treatment to be accessed by all those who need it.  

BASHH stands ready to work alongside the Government to help translate these vital ambitions into reality.

Dr Tristan Barber, Chair Elect of the British HIV Association (BHIVA) said:  

The combination of prevention, treatment and testing, with an effective plan to re-engage people with HIV treatment and care, and access peer support, together provide a strong and pragmatic framework for progress.    

It is vital that we prioritise the groups most affected by HIV, where diagnoses continue to rise. Half of all black African heterosexuals are diagnosed late, and women and young people also find it hard to access prevention using Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), which should be available to everyone who needs it.   

The success of Emergency Department opt-out testing has already shown what is possible so extending it, with the addition of at home testing via the NHS App, alongside renewed investment in sexual health services, will be key to achieving the 2030 goals.

Dr Amanda Williams, Paediatrician and Chair of the charity Chiva said:  

Children and young people living with perinatally acquired HIV have to attend healthcare appointments and take medication their whole life, for what is still a highly stigmatised health condition. For many, missing appointments becomes more common in adolescence, and during the transition from paediatric to adult care.  That’s why we’re pleased to see plans to tackle HIV stigma and re-engage people back into care.  

We welcome the Government’s decision to fund formula milk for all babies born to mothers living with HIV, who need it as part of HIV prevention measures during pregnancy through to post-birth – something that Chiva, The Food Chain and NAT have been calling for. Funding formula milk ensures women can follow medical guidance and are empowered to make informed choices about how to safely feed their babies without financial barriers.

Dr Zara Haider, President of the College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare, said:   

We warmly welcome the publication of the HIV Action Plan, especially as it places women firmly within its focus by recognising the unique barriers they face in accessing HIV services. Measures such as funding for formula milk and sterilising equipment for women living with HIV, expanded opt-out testing, and tailored prevention programmes will directly support women who are too often forgotten.   

With investment in home testing kits, a national HIV prevention programme, and plans to tackle the discrimination that still stops too many from seeking care, this Plan has real potential to improve HIV care in England by ensuring women are not left behind.

Darren Knight, Chief Executive, George House Trust, said:  

George House Trust proudly backs the implementation of the new HIV Action Plan. Putting people living with HIV at the heart of this work, tackling HIV stigma, and ensuring everyone can live well and stay engaged in care isn’t just important, it’s essential.   

We’re ready to collaborate with government, health and care partners, and our voluntary sector partners to work for a world where HIV holds no one back.

Charlotte Cooke, Director of Services, LGBT Foundation said:   

LGBT Foundation welcomes the HIV Action Plan. We are pleased that gay and bisexual men remain a priority, alongside men who have sex with men – a community we have long supported and recognised as needing targeted interventions.  

It is key to invest in prevention in order to achieve zero transmissions by 2023. It is cost-effective, delivers long-term impact, and depends on working together to ensure equitable access and uptake of HIV prevention services. We are committed to playing our part in this effort.

Sophie Strachan CEO of the Sophia Forum said:   

We welcome this new ambitious Action Plan and hope that this will help address the health inequities and improve outcomes that prevents further marginalisation of communities who have to date have experienced ongoing health inequalities and poorer health outcomes.

The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 25 November 2025.

The government has announced an extension of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to more high-sugar drinks, including milk-based drinks.

• Soft drinks levy will be extended to cover more products, including sugary milk-based drinks.
• Changes could cut 17 million calories a day from the nation’s daily intake, helping to prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke, and take pressure off the NHS
• Companies have until January 2028 to remove sugar or face the new charge, which will add £1 billion in health and economic benefits

Children will have a healthier start to life after the government announces an extension of the soft drinks levy to more high-sugar drinks, making it easier for families to buy less sugary products.

Changes will apply the charge to pre-packaged milk-based and milk-alternative drinks with added sugar like supermarket milkshakes, flavoured milks, sweetened yoghurt drinks, chocolate milk drinks and ready-to-drink coffees.

Many of these products can contain as much added sugar as fizzy drinks, where much of that sugar is added separately to the milk, but were previously exempt from the levy, which so far has seen the average sugar content of drinks in scope fall almost 50% since it was introduced. Plain, unsweetened milk and milk-alternative drinks are not and will not be included.

Obesity is one of the root causes of diabetes, heart disease and cancer. With the UK now having the third highest rate of adult obesity in Europe, it remains a critical public health challenge, costing the NHS £11.4 billion a year, 3 times the NHS budget for ambulance services. 

This and other measures the government is taking to tackle the obesity crisis will prevent hundreds of thousands of people becoming obese, helping to prevent cancer, heart disease and stroke.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

An unhealthy start to life holds kids back from day one, especially those from poor backgrounds like mine. We’re on a mission to raise the healthiest generation of children ever, and that means taking on the biggest drivers of poor health.

The levy has already shown that when industry cuts sugar levels, children’s health improves. So, we’re going further.

A healthier nation will mean less pressure on our NHS, a healthier economy and a happier society. It’s a simple change that is part of this government’s mission to give every child a healthy start to life.

The threshold is being lowered from 5g to 4.5g of sugar per 100ml. This means more high-sugar drinks will fall under the levy unless manufacturers reduce sugar, with businesses given until 1 January 2028 to reduce sugar in their drinks.

This is a levy on manufacturers and importers, which has led to companies acting by halving sugar content in popular drinks to avoid the tax. The government expects companies to do the same with the extension.

Changes follow a government consultation that ran from April to July 2025. HMRC has today (25 November 2025) outlined the final policy in a formal response: Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy: summary of responses.

High sugar intake puts children at greater risk of dental decay and obesity – and obese adults are at risk of long-term health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Tooth decay outpaces other common childhood conditions, including acute tonsillitis, as the leading cause of hospital admissions among 5 to 9 year olds in England.

Between 2015 and 2024, the levy has cut sugar levels in affected products by almost half.

These interventions have led to substantial reductions in hospital admissions for children requiring caries-related tooth extractions, with decreases of over 28% among 0 to 4 year olds and more than 5% among 5 to 9 year olds.

In addition, businesses have consistently experienced increased sales of drinks. According to comprehensive Department of Health and Social Care data, these products recorded a 13.5% rise in volume sales (litres) between 2015 and 2024, demonstrating strong consumer acceptance and the commercial viability of healthier reformulated beverages.

The new plans are expected to reduce daily calorie intake by around 4 million in children and 13 million in adults across England. This could prevent almost 14,000 cases of adult obesity and nearly 1,000 cases of childhood obesity.

It is expected to also deliver almost £1 billion in health and economic benefits, including by saving the NHS £36 million, reduce social care pressures by £30 million, and contributing around £221 million in economic output through improved workforce participation

England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, said:

Creating an environment where children are encouraged to have drinks which contribute to increased levels of obesity can harm their health for the rest of their lives.

The existing Soft Drinks Industry Levy has already substantially reduced the amount of sugar in shop-bought products, helping slow the increase in childhood obesity and bring down hospital admissions for tooth extractions among young children.

Extending the sugar levy is likely to have further benefit for child health.

This change is part of a package of measures the government is using to tackle obesity and prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer, including:

• the healthy food standard to make the average shopping basket of goods healthier
• banning junk food adverts before the 9pm watershed
• banning the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children aged under 16
• giving local authorities powers to stop fast food shops setting up outside schools

Katharine Jenner, Executive Director at Obesity Health Alliance, said: 

Ending the exemption for sugary milkshakes and bringing more sugary soft drinks into the levy is a sensible and long-overdue step to protect children’s health – especially their teeth. The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has already removed billions of teaspoons of sugar from the nation’s diet without harming industry growth, proving that clear, consistent rules are effective.

We now urge the government to press on with implementing the rest of its 10 Year Health Plan – helping to rebuild a food environment that supports children’s health rather than undermines it.

Eddie Crouch, British Dental Association chair, said:

The success of this policy won’t be about filling the black hole in the public finances; it will be whether industry will reformulate.

Voluntary action here has achieved nothing. But since it rolled out in 2018, the sugar levy has led industry to remove tens of thousands of tonnes of sugar from soft drinks.

Tooth decay is the number one reason for hospital admissions among young children. This is precisely the time for government to go further and faster with tried and tested policies.

Helen Kirrane, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Diabetes UK, said: 

With cases of type 2 diabetes continuing to rise at an alarming rate, particularly in younger people, we need bold action to cut unnecessary sugar from food and drink. 

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has already substantially reduced the sugar in soft drinks, lowering the amount of sugar consumed by children. Expanding it to include milk-based and milk-alternative drinks, which can contain large amounts of hidden sugar, is a welcome step forward.

We know that, for many people, it can be overwhelming to navigate such a wide range of products, and it’s not always clear what is good for us. This change will help ensure the healthier choice is the easier choice.

Dev, Youth Activist at Bite Back, said:

This is great news from the Government, especially because it finally tackles sugary milkshakes and other milk-based drinks.

The amount of sugar in these products has been completely outrageous, and young people like me have been saying it for years.

We’re targeted with these drinks everywhere — in supermarkets, on our streets, and across our socials — so this is a really important step. But it can’t stop here. We need this to be part of a bigger package that also strengthens advertising rules.

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said:

We welcome the UK Government taking stronger action on sugary drinks by extending the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to milk-based products and lowering the sugar threshold.

These steps will help cut sugar consumption, support healthier choices, and ultimately reduce the risk of cancer – something Cancer Research UK has long called for.

Bold measures like this, alongside commitments on junk food advertising and healthy food standards, must now be delivered in full and enforced properly to create healthier environments for everyone.

Barbara Crowther, Children’s Food Campaign Manager at Sustain, said:

This update rightly prioritises children’s health over corporate profit. The Soft Drinks Industry Levy has brilliantly succeeded in getting companies to reduce sugar and treating sugary milkshakes the same as fizzy drinks is the right thing to do.

Companies who’ve already reduced sugar will now be rewarded for acting responsibly, whilst those still stacking excess sugar into milkshakes will now have a clear choice: change their recipe or pay for the health harm caused.

Aligning the levy threshold with advertising and promotion rules is a sensible move, giving industry one consistent benchmark and making it easier to do business.

Lynn Perry, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, said: 

Children in the UK are consuming too much sugar and too many are missing out on a balanced diet. This has a hugely negative impact on their health – with tooth decay now the leading cause of hospital admissions for children aged five to nine. 

Today’s announcement is another positive step in the right direction towards creating the healthiest ever generation of children.

Alongside this, it’s important that we support families living in poverty to improve their access to nutritious food.

Background

• The Soft Drinks Industry Levy applies to pre-packaged drinks with added sugar, and with more than 5g of total sugar per 100ml. This will fall to 4.5g per 100ml.
• Drinks containing between 4.5g and 7.9g per 100ml will continue to fall into the lower levy band. The current rate for this band is £1.94 per 10 litres (19.4p per litre).
• Drinks above 8g per 100ml will remain in the higher levy band. The current rate for this band is 2.59 per 10 litres (25.p per litre).
• This doesn’t apply to open top drinks in cafes/restaurants