8 May 2023

Are at-home blood tests accurate?

Medically reviewed by Dr Anojan Arulananthan, MBBS, BSC

Updated by Dr Francesca Haarer BSc, PG Cert (Med Ed), BMBS, MRCS and Dr Kate Smith BSc, MBChB January 2025

At-home blood tests are everywhere right now. They help pinpoint underlying conditions, plus they’re quick, private and done in the comfort of your own home – what’s not to like?

If you’re considering ordering an at-home blood test kit online, you need to know how reliable they are before you part with your hard-earned cash.

So, how accurate are at-home blood test kits? And can anything impact their results?

Read on to find out the ins and outs of home blood testing and what to expect when you first take one.

What do at-home blood tests pick up?

Generally, at-home blood tests can pick up many different conditions and deficiencies.

Some examples of things at-home blood tests can pick up include:

Diabetes risk

A diabetes test measures your blood sugar levels to find out whether you may have diabetes or might be at risk of developing it.¹,²

Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D contributes to the functioning of your immune system as well as maintenance of bone, teeth and muscle function.³,⁴ A vitamin D test can flag up if you’re lacking in vitamin D.

High cholesterol

A cholesterol test measures the different types of cholesterol in your body. Too much bad cholesterol (non-high density lipoprotein or non-HDL) can clog up your arteries, so it's helpful to know your levels.⁵

Anaemia

Low iron levels can cause iron deficiency anaemia, which can make you feel tired, short of breath or look paler than usual.⁶ An iron blood test can help rule this out.

Underactive (or overactive) thyroid

Problems with your thyroid gland can lead to tiredness, low mood and weight issues.⁷,⁸ A thyroid blood test checks for any underlying issues related to your thyroid.

Why take an at-home blood test?

On the NHS, everybody over 40-74 without certain pre-existing medical conditions are entitled to the NHS Health Check every 5 years which checks for some markers e.g. cholesterol.⁹

But what if you’re not in this age range, between health checks, or just curious about what's going on inside your body and want to have a blood test to check different markers?

Good news: you can take an at-home blood test.

How reliable are at-home blood tests?

At-home blood tests are reliable, and go through the same process as blood samples taken in hospital or GP practices. There are however a few things to bear in mind.

It's important to follow the instructions provided with an at-home blood test to make sure it can be used by the laboratory.

It’s also important to:

Take your blood sample on a weekday to make sure it gets to the lab in time (Monday-Thursday for H&B&Me at-home blood tests)
Hydrate well at least 30 minutes before taking your blood test
Warm your hands by either having a bath or shower beforehand or running your hands under warm water (make sure they’re dry after)
Get your blood flowing by moving about for a few minutes beforehand
Make sure you have everything you need in the kit provided
Avoid squeezing your fingertip and instead gently massage your finger downwards
Fill one or two collection tubes to the top (as instructed) and gently tip them side to side to prevent clotting, and avoid shaking them
Label your samples carefully
Post it back on the same day

For further details on how to take a H&B&Me at-home blood sample take a look at our step-by-step video.

Every H&B&Me blood test comes with a doctor’s report. If the doctor who reviews your results thinks you should follow up with your GP, they’ll tell you in their report.

Your GP or healthcare professional can then help you understand your results in more detail and if needed, make a plan of action.

Can you do a full blood test at home?

Yes, you can! It’s important to remember, though, that there’s no gold standard for what a ‘full’ blood test means.

Lots of at-home blood tests will test for several different biomarkers in various combinations.

Our General Wellness blood test, for example, checks your liver function, kidney function, muscle and bone health, iron levels, cholesterol levels and diabetes and gout risk.

How do at-home blood tests work?

At-home blood tests are generally finger prick tests. Although some of them need a person to come and take the blood sample for you. H&B&Me send somebody to your home for you if you have this type of blood test.

A finger prick test means you take a small blood sample from your fingertip, usually first thing in the morning.

Our at-home blood tests work like this:

Order your blood test kit from the H&B&Me website
Receive your test kit and activate it on the app
Follow the instructions in the kit to take your sample
Post your sample back to us on the same day
Check back in-app to see your results and accompanying doctor’s report in within 48 hours

The blood test report will let you know if any of your results are out of the normal range. It will also recommend whether you need to speak to your GP if your blood test shows something out of the normal range.

What can impact blood test results?

There’s a lot that doctors or other trained healthcare professionals can tell from a blood test, but some factors affect the accuracy of your results.

Read more about what can impact your blood test results.

The final word

At-home blood tests are highly accurate when they’re done correctly. However, there are a few things that can impact their reliability .

If you do an at-home blood test, make sure you do it first thing in the morning (if this is needed in the instructions), avoid exercise before your test, and send your sample back the same day.

References

1. Diabetes UK. What is HbA1c? [Internet]. Diabetes UK. 2017. Available from: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/looking-after-diabetes/hba1c

2. Diabetes UK. Prediabetes [Internet]. Diabetes UK. 2019. Available from: https://www.diabetes.org.uk/about-diabetes/type-2-diabetes/prediabetes

3.NHS. Vitamin D - Vitamins and Minerals [Internet]. NHS. NHS; 2020. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-d/

4. National Institute of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin D [Internet]. Nih.gov. 2017. Available from: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/#en1

5. British Heart Foundation. High Cholesterol - Causes, Symptoms & Treatments [Internet]. Bhf.org.uk. 2022. Available from: https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/risk-factors/high-cholesterol

6. NHS. Iron Deficiency Anaemia [Internet]. NHS. 2024. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/

7. NHS . Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) [Internet]. NHS. 2021. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/underactive-thyroid-hypothyroidism/

8. NHS . Overview - overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) [Internet]. NHS. 2019. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/overactive-thyroid-hyperthyroidism/

9. NHS. NHS Health Check [Internet]. NHS. Department of Health; 2023. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-health-check/