Patients ask me about the cost of a private blood test more than about any test itself, usually because they have been quoted three different prices for what sounds like the same thing. The prices are not really that different once you know what each one includes. This guide sets out what the common tests cost, what should be in the price, where the extras hide, and when the NHS route makes more sense.
What the common tests cost
These are OneMedicine's prices in October 2026, cheapest first. Every one includes laboratory analysis at a UKAS-accredited laboratory, a doctor's review and an emailed report. The results time is working days.
| Test | Markers | Price | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose (fasting) | 1 | £33 | 24 hours |
| Full blood count | 15 | £40 | 24 hours |
| Kidney function | 5 | £40 | 24 hours |
| Liver function | 8 | £40 | 24 hours |
| Vitamin B12 | 1 | £45 | 24 hours |
| Cholesterol profile | 8 | £49 | 24 hours |
| Diabetes (HbA1c) | 1 | £50 | 24 hours |
| Vitamin D | 1 | £50 | 24 hours |
| Thyroid (TSH and free T4) | 2 | £55 | 24 hours |
| Ferritin (iron stores) | 1 | £55 | 24 hours |
| Health MOT | 37 | £99 | 24 hours |
| Base blood health screen | 42 | £139 | 24 hours |
| Well man or well woman screen | 57 / 54 | £395 | 24 hours |
Across the UK private market the same tests sit in similar bands: a full blood count at £35 to £75, a thyroid test at £40 to £90, and a broad health screen anywhere from £65 for a kit-based check to £199 or more at a hospital group. The spread comes from what is bundled with the test, which is the next section.
What should be included in the price
A fair private blood test price covers four things. Check all four before you compare numbers.
- The laboratory analysis. Ask whether the laboratory is UKAS accredited. That is the same standard NHS laboratories meet, and it is what makes the result trustworthy.
- The sample collection. Either a venous draw by a phlebotomist, or a finger-prick kit you post back. This is where most of the price difference lives.
- A clinician's review. Some providers send raw numbers with reference ranges and nothing else. Others, including OneMedicine, have a doctor read every result and comment on anything abnormal before you see it.
- The report. Emailed, with your results against the reference range, and something you can take to your own GP.
The extras that change the real cost
The blood-draw fee
This is the big one. A test advertised at £39 often needs a venous sample, and the clinic that takes it charges £25 to £60 for the appointment. Some providers build the fee into the test price; others add it at checkout or leave you to arrange the draw yourself. At OneMedicine the fee depends only on where you have the blood taken, and it is charged once per visit however many tests you add:
| Where your blood is taken | Draw fee |
|---|---|
| Our clinic, 1 High Street, Kings Heath, Birmingham | Free |
| One of 103 partner clinics across the UK | £29 |
| A phlebotomist at your home (England) | £60 |
Finger-prick kits
A kit avoids the draw fee, which is why kit-based providers can advertise from about £39. The catch is the sample. A few drops of capillary blood can clot in the post or be too small to run, and the provider then sends another kit and you start again a week later. Some tests cannot be done on a finger-prick sample at all, and some markers read differently from a capillary sample. For a one-off cholesterol check a kit is reasonable. For anything you will act on, a venous sample is the standard the NHS uses, and it is what every OneMedicine test is.
A consultation to interpret the results
If the provider does not include a clinician's review, you may end up paying £45 to £130 for a GP appointment to understand an abnormal result. Factor that in. At OneMedicine the doctor's review is part of the test price; if a result needs a conversation, a telephone or video GP appointment is £45.
Repeat tests
Some results need repeating to confirm them, a borderline thyroid result for example. A good provider says so in the report rather than charging you to find out.
Full blood count, £40, results in 24 hours
Fifteen markers covering red cells, white cells and platelets, reviewed by a doctor. No blood-draw fee at our Birmingham clinic, and you can add any other test to the same visit.
Book in Birmingham, free drawPrivate or NHS?
An NHS GP can arrange blood tests without charge when they judge them clinically necessary, and for a specific symptom that is usually the right first step. What the NHS will not do is run a test because you would like to know the number, and a routine test commonly means one to two weeks for the appointment and another week for the result. People choose a private test for one of three reasons: they want a test the NHS does not offer routinely (vitamin D, testosterone, a broad screen), they want the answer this week, or they want to monitor something regularly without using an NHS appointment each time. If your private result is abnormal, your NHS GP will act on it; a UKAS-accredited result is a valid result.
How to keep the cost down
- Choose the specific test, not a package, when you have a specific question. A thyroid question needs a £55 thyroid test, not a £395 screen.
- Choose a screen when you want the broad picture. The Health MOT at £99 contains 37 markers that would cost well over £200 bought one by one.
- Have everything in one visit. One draw, one fee, and the multi-test discount at OneMedicine is applied automatically as you add tests at checkout.
- Use a clinic with no draw fee if one is near you. In Birmingham that is us.
- Check what the price includes before you compare it. A £39 kit with a £35 draw fee and no doctor's review is not cheaper than a £55 test with both.
Questions people ask
How much does a private blood test cost in the UK?
A single private blood test costs about £30 to £60 in 2026 (at OneMedicine: fasting glucose £33, full blood count, kidney and liver £40 each, thyroid £55), a multi-marker health screen £99 to £200, and a comprehensive well man or well woman screen £300 to £400. On top of the test, many providers add a blood-draw fee of £25 to £60. At OneMedicine the draw is free at the Birmingham clinic, £29 at a partner clinic elsewhere in the UK and £60 for a home visit.
How much does a full blood count cost privately?
A full blood count costs £40 at OneMedicine, with 15 markers and results in 24 hours, and £35 to £75 across UK private providers. Check whether the blood draw is included: a £40 test with a £35 draw fee costs more than a £60 test with the draw included.
Do I need a GP referral for a private blood test?
No. You can book a private blood test yourself, choose the tests and pay online. A referral is only needed for a small number of specialist tests that laboratories will not run without a clinician's request, and the booking page tells you if a test is one of them.
What is included in the price of a private blood test?
At OneMedicine the price covers the laboratory analysis at a UKAS-accredited laboratory, a doctor's review of every result, and your emailed report with reference ranges and a comment on anything abnormal. The only separate charge is the blood draw, which is free in Birmingham, £29 at a UK partner clinic and £60 at home, and is charged once however many tests you add.
Why is a finger-prick kit cheaper than a clinic blood test?
A finger-prick kit saves the provider the cost of a phlebotomist, so the headline price is lower. The trade-off is that a small capillary sample can clot or be too small to run, which means a repeat kit and a delay, and some tests cannot be done on a finger-prick at all. A venous sample taken by a phlebotomist is the standard the NHS and hospitals use.
Can I get a private blood test free on the NHS instead?
An NHS GP can arrange blood tests free of charge when they judge them clinically necessary, but you cannot ask for a test simply because you would like to know the result, and routine tests often mean a wait of one to three weeks for the appointment and the result. People choose a private test when they want a particular test, a quick answer, or a check the NHS does not offer routinely.
Are private blood tests as accurate as NHS ones?
Yes, when the laboratory is UKAS accredited, which is the same accreditation NHS laboratories hold. The sample is analysed on the same type of equipment to the same standards. The difference is in who requests the test and how quickly you get the result, not in the laboratory work.
What is the cheapest way to have several blood tests?
Have them in one visit. The blood is taken once, so the draw fee is charged once, and at OneMedicine a multi-test discount is applied automatically at checkout as you add tests. If you want a broad picture rather than specific answers, a screen such as the Health MOT (37 markers, £99) costs less than buying its tests separately.
Same test, same laboratory, £29 draw at a clinic near you
Enter your postcode to see your three nearest partner clinics, add the tests you want, and pay once online. Doctor-reviewed results by email, usually within 24 to 48 hours.
Book at a UK partner clinic
Specialist interest: Cardiovascular Medicine · OneMedicine, CQC registered clinic