Firms within the construction industry can now order free Covid test kits for their workers to use at home.

Businesses can already order free rapid lateral flow kits to test their employees twice a week in the workplace. The new extension of the workplace testing regime will supply home test kits to companies with over 10 workers, where it is not possible to set up testing on-site due to a lack of space or because companies operate across multiple sites.

From early April businesses will be able to order tests for their employees to collect from their workplace and use at home twice a week.

Companies can register here before 12 April in order to access free tests until the end of June, even if they’re not yet open or are not able to start using the tests straight away.

Construction workers can use the lateral flow tests at home to rapidly detect the virus in 30 minutes. Anyone testing positive can then take a more accurate PCR test.

Matthew Fell, CBI Chief UK Policy Director, said: “Mass, rapid workplace testing is an essential pillar of the roadmap for reopening, alongside the vaccine rollout.

Having the option for staff to test at home will enable more firms to embrace workplace testing, as not all employers will have the space or facilities to run testing programmes on their premises. The move to home testing reflects ongoing, high quality dialogue between business and government.

We’d encourage as many firms as possible to register before the 12 April deadline, as part of their broader efforts to keep staff and customers safe.”