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Private allergy testing in London, interpreted by a consultant allergist.

The right test for your symptoms - skin prick, specific IgE or component-resolved diagnostics - interpreted by an allergist against your history. Because a positive result is not always a clinical allergy.

A friendly doctor in conversation with a patient in a warmly lit consulting room

Indicative pricing

What private allergy testing costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK allergists, clinics and immunology laboratories.

In short

Skin prick test with a consultant allergist: £350–£650, with results read in the same visit.

Test or panel Indicative range
Skin prick test (SPT) - targeted panel £200–£400
SPT with allergist consultation £350–£650
Specific IgE blood panel (basic 10–20 allergens) £180–£400
Component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) £300–£650
Food challenge (open or blinded) £700–£1,400
Drug or venom testing (specialist) £500–£1,200

Prices vary by allergist, the size of the panel, whether component-resolved diagnostics are added, and whether a supervised challenge is needed.

The problem

A positive test alone is not a diagnosis.

Direct-to-consumer allergy panels sell certainty they cannot deliver. Sensitisation on a test does not always mean clinical allergy - and the wrong avoidance plan can cause more harm than the allergen. This is why a consultant allergist matters.

  • Worried about a reaction?

    A specialist decides if you need an EpiPen and how to avoid triggers, without over-restricting your diet.

  • Been told your test is "positive"?

    A raised IgE alone is not enough. We interpret it against your symptom history - the part that matters.

What it shows

Match the right test to the right question.

Allergy tests answer very different questions. These are the reasons people come to us most.

  • Food allergy work-up

    Nuts, milk, egg, shellfish, wheat and more - SPT plus CRD where it changes the plan (e.g. peanut Ara h 2).

  • Hay fever & seasonal allergens

    Grass, tree and weed pollens - testing that supports immunotherapy decisions, not just avoidance.

  • Pet dander

    Cat, dog, horse and small mammal allergens - with component testing where re-homing is on the table.

  • Drug allergy

    Antibiotics (penicillin), NSAIDs and anaesthetic drugs - skin testing and provocation where safe.

  • Wasp or bee venom

    For anyone who has reacted to a sting - testing to see if venom immunotherapy is right.

  • Contact dermatitis

    Patch testing for cosmetics, metals, fragrances and occupational exposures - a different test to SPT.

  • Anaphylaxis history

    Full work-up after a serious reaction - trigger identification, EpiPen prescribing and a written plan.

  • Red flags

    Previous anaphylaxis, throat swelling or collapse - you need a specialist plan and an EpiPen, not a supermarket IgG test.

Test types

The tests our allergists arrange most.

What each option is actually for.

  • Skin prick test (SPT)

    A drop of allergen extract on the forearm, gently pricked. A raised wheal at 15 minutes suggests IgE sensitisation.

  • Specific IgE blood tests

    Quantitative blood measurement of IgE against specific allergens - useful when SPT is not possible.

  • Component-resolved diagnostics

    Tests IgE to individual allergen components (e.g. peanut Ara h 2) - sharpens risk assessment considerably.

  • Patch test (contact dermatitis)

    Chambers of allergens taped to the back for 48 hours, then read - the right test for eczema and cosmetic reactions.

  • Oral food challenge

    The gold standard: eating the food under medical supervision, in escalating doses, in an anaphylaxis-ready unit.

  • Drug provocation test

    Carefully graded doses of a suspect drug under supervision - the definitive test where skin testing is inconclusive.

  • Venom immunotherapy work-up

    Skin and blood testing to confirm bee or wasp allergy before starting a three-year desensitisation course.

  • Anaphylaxis assessment + EpiPen

    Structured review after a serious reaction, EpiPen prescription and training, and a written management plan.

Preparation and practicalities

Safe, but preparation matters.

Skin prick testing is safe, quick and low-risk when done properly - but preparation, timing and interpretation can all change the result. We tell you exactly what to do.

  • Stop antihistamines

    Skin prick tests require stopping antihistamines 3–7 days before, or the skin will not react. We give you a precise list.

  • Steroid creams

    Topical steroids on the forearm can dampen the skin response. Avoid on the test area for a week beforehand.

  • Do not eat the food

    For a food challenge, do not eat the suspect food that morning - but do come in fed and hydrated.

  • Anaphylaxis-trained team

    Food, drug and venom challenges are done only in units with the drugs, resus kit and staff to manage a serious reaction.

  • Pregnancy

    Skin prick testing and blood IgE are safe in pregnancy; most challenge tests are deferred until after delivery.

  • Children

    Children can be tested from infancy with paediatric-experienced allergists and age-appropriate panels.

  • After a reaction

    Venom testing is done at least 4–6 weeks after a sting reaction, once the immune system has settled.

  • A positive test is not a diagnosis

    Sensitisation on a test does not always mean clinical allergy. That is why history and a specialist matter.

  • Quantitative, not present/absent

    Specific IgE is a number, not a yes/no. The size of a wheal or the level of IgE changes how we act on it.

Reading your report

A page of numbers can look alarming. Context changes everything.

However big the panel, the report follows the same four parts.

A UK consultant allergist reviewing skin prick and specific IgE results

A quiet reminder

Sensitisation is not the same as allergy - the story matters more than the number.

Ask your care team to explain anything that is unclear.

  1. 01 Header

    Your details and relevant history

    Symptoms, previous reactions, medicines, and the questions the test was set up to answer.

  2. 02 Technique

    Which panel, and by which method

    The allergens tested, whether by SPT, specific IgE, CRD, patch or challenge - with the laboratory and method used.

  3. 03 Findings

    Positive and negative results, in context

    Each result with its clinical relevance - a positive result that fits your history means something different to one that does not.

  4. 04 Impression

    The conclusion: read this first

    Likely allergies, an avoidance plan, whether an EpiPen is needed, and any next investigations or immunotherapy.

Recognised by major UK insurers

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Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about allergy testing.

Quick answers on cost, referrals, children, immunotherapy, food intolerance and when to act urgently.

  • Skin prick test or blood IgE - which is better?

    For most inhaled and food allergens, skin prick is quicker, cheaper and read the same day. Specific IgE blood tests are useful when antihistamines cannot be stopped, when skin disease is active, or when the reaction risk from skin testing is high. Often we use both, plus component-resolved diagnostics where they change the plan.

  • When is patch testing the right test?

    Patch testing is for contact dermatitis - reactions to cosmetics, metals, fragrances or occupational exposures. It is a completely different test to skin prick, done over 48 hours with allergen chambers taped to the back. Skin prick and IgE tests do not diagnose contact dermatitis.

  • How much does private allergy testing cost in London?

    A specific IgE blood panel starts around £180. A skin prick test with a consultant allergist is £350–£650. Component-resolved diagnostics add £300–£650. Food and drug challenges, being half-day supervised procedures, are £500–£1,400.

  • Do I need a referral?

    Most private allergists accept self-referral. For complex cases, or where insurance is involved, a GP letter helps.

  • Why does my history matter more than the raw results?

    Sensitisation on a test - a positive skin prick or raised IgE - does not always mean clinical allergy. Plenty of people are sensitised to things they eat happily every day. A consultant allergist reads results against your symptoms, not in isolation.

  • Is food intolerance the same as food allergy?

    No - very different. Food allergy is an immune (IgE) reaction, sometimes life-threatening. Food intolerance is a non-immune reaction (lactose, FODMAPs, additives) that causes bloating or discomfort but not anaphylaxis. IgG "intolerance" tests sold direct-to-consumer are not clinically validated.

  • How young can children be tested?

    Children can be skin prick tested from infancy with paediatric-experienced allergists. Blood IgE is also safe at any age. Food challenges in young children are done in specialist units.

  • Can testing help with hay fever?

    Yes. Confirming the specific pollens involved supports the decision to start sublingual or subcutaneous immunotherapy - a three-year treatment course that can genuinely change the disease, not just mask symptoms.

  • Will my insurance cover allergy testing?

    Cover varies. Testing is usually covered when medically indicated and pre-authorised; direct-access screening is often self-funded.

  • When should I see a GP or A&E urgently?

    Anaphylaxis - throat swelling, breathing difficulty, collapse, widespread hives with any of the above - is a 999 call, not a clinic appointment. Use an EpiPen if you have one, then call an ambulance.

Related

Looking for something else?

In practice, in London

Getting allergy testing sorted in London, without the guesswork

With allergy testing, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. Public provision for allergy testing is competent but constrained by capacity. Private London clinics tend to have shorter diaries and longer appointment slots, so you get the same specialists with more time. For people who’ve been going round in circles with primary care, that first proper conversation is often what shifts things.

The mechanics are straightforward: a consultant appointment, any tests done at a nearby CQC-registered site, and a written report back within a few days. London’s density of private diagnostics - Marylebone, the City, Chelsea, Canary Wharf - means most patients can find something that fits around work without a cross-town trek. For allergy testing specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

The value is knowing which consultant reads this particular presentation best, which unit turns reports around fastest, and which pathway won’t hit a dead end if the findings point somewhere unexpected.