The UK is planning to stop providing free COVID-19 rapid tests and making people pay for them instead.
They are currently available in pharmacies or can be ordered online via the NHS, while businesses in England were able to access these tests for free until July.
The government has previously said that these lateral flow assays are crucial in tracking the spread of the virus, having so far identified around a quarter of all symptomless cases.
However, the finance ministry wants to charge for them to cut some of the COVID-related state spending, which is expected to total around £407bn.
"At a later stage, as the government's response to the virus changes, universal free provision of LFDs (lateral flow devices) will end, and individuals and businesses using the tests will bear the cost," a source told Reuters.
Under the new plan, a payment system would be set up on the government’s website.
It’s not clear how much they cost, but the newswire said a packet of seven is currently sold for up to £30.
Other countries in Europe have stopped providing rapid tests for free, such as Germany.
But it may not be welcome news for many businesses that rely on free tests to boost the confidence of employees and customers.
"If the government wasn’t paying for it, we would want to use the government’s leverage to ensure that solution was cost effective for employers," Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry group UK Hospitality, told Reuters.
"We need to make sure that we are keeping that price down as low as possible. For small businesses, it would be very difficult for them to meet that kind of cost."