Use this service to apply for a coronavirus (COVID-19) test if you have symptoms and you: There’s a different way to ask for a test if you’re not an essential worker or do not live with one (on the NHS website).
Coronavirus symptoms are: This test can tell you if you have coronavirus at the time the swab sample is taken. The test to tell if you’ve ever had coronavirus (‘antibody test’) is not available yet.
Apply within the first 3 days of having symptoms. The test is best taken within 5 days of symptoms starting. You might not get a test if you apply - it depends how many tests are available in your area.