Private BRCA gene testing cost in the UK: 2026 price guide

Private BRCA testing analyses blood or saliva for harmful changes in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that raise the risk of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers, usually after genetic counselling.

Providers rarely publish one standard price for BRCA gene testing, and we found no list we could verify, so this page avoids quoting a figure. The sections below show what moves the price and how to get comparable written quotes.

A genetic counsellor reviews your family history and explains benefits, limits and implications, then a blood or saliva sample is taken. Results arrive after some weeks and are discussed in a follow-up session.

Ask whether you meet NHS criteria, as testing is free in that case, and what support follows a positive result.

If two quotes for BRCA gene testing differ, the reasons are usually found in the list below rather than in the headline name of the procedure.

• Single-gene versus panel testing: testing only BRCA1 and BRCA2 costs less than a multi-gene cancer panel.

• Counselling: pre- and post-test genetic counselling by a qualified counsellor or clinical geneticist.

• Laboratory and technology.

• Family testing: relatives can be tested for a known familial variant at lower cost.

• Follow-up: a positive result leads to surveillance or risk-reducing surgery.

Before comparing totals, compare contents. These are the lines most often included, and the ones most often added afterwards.

Insurers may ask about genetic test results for some products, and UK industry code limits how they are used, so discuss before testing.

Authorisation from the insurer before the date is the safest course, and it is worth asking what happens if the plan changes on the day. Self-pay patients may be able to spread the cost, though any finance is a credit agreement.

The NHS offers genetic testing to people who meet eligibility criteria based on personal and family history, through clinical genetics services, free of charge.

The NHS sets an 18-week standard from referral to treatment for non-urgent consultant-led care, and in England you have a legal right to choose a provider. Waiting times differ by area and specialty, so ask your GP or the provider about current local waits rather than relying on a national average.

There is no recovery, but the emotional impact of results can need support.

Complications are uncommon for most patients, yet a quote should say what happens if something does not go to plan.

• A positive result can have implications for relatives and for some insurance products, and a negative result does not remove all cancer risk; counselling helps you think about this before testing.

• Variants of uncertain significance are common in panel testing and can be confusing.

A lower headline figure can hide extras. Use these questions to make quotes for this procedure comparable.

• Do I meet NHS criteria for free testing?

• Is counselling included?

• Is this single-gene or panel testing?

• How are results shared and what support is offered?

• Which fees are fixed in the written quote, and which, such as consultant or anaesthetist fees, might be billed separately?