Only a lab test can tell you for sure. Your photo helps us send the right kit.
Please read this first: we sell kits too. Ours are launching soon. So read this page knowing that. We've used only facts we saw on each seller's own pages on 22 and 23 October 2026, we've shown where others do things we don't yet, and we haven't rated anyone. Prices and pages change, so check before you buy. If anything here is wrong or out of date, email us and we'll correct it.
There are more home asbestos test kits on sale in the UK than most people realise. Our research found 23 businesses selling home testing to the public. On the surface they look alike. Underneath, they differ in ways that matter: who the lab is, what protective kit you get, and what an extra sample costs.
What to check in any kit
- Is the lab named, with its UKAS number? UK asbestos law requires employers who have samples analysed to use a lab accredited to the standard ISO 17025, and it's the standard to expect from any home kit too. UKAS is the UK body that accredits labs. A lab's name and number let you check its accreditation on the UKAS website. "UKAS-accredited lab", without a name or number, can't be checked.
- What respirator is included? HSE says a "dust mask" is useless for asbestos. Look for a respirator to the FFP3 standard.
- Is there a disposable overall and gloves? HSE's guidance for this kind of work covers both.
- What does an extra sample cost? Most people need more than one. One sample covers one material from one area.
- Is there a sample-only option? Useful if you already have the right protective kit.
- Does it say what you shouldn't sample? A responsible seller tells you, before you buy, that kits aren't for lagging, sprayed coatings, loose fill, insulation board, damaged material, or roofs.
- Is there someone to ask? A phone line, email or chat, and a clear explanation of the result.
Prices, side by side
Prices for one sample include protective kit unless shown otherwise. "VAT not stated" means the page didn't say whether VAT was included.
| Seller | One sample with protective kit | Each extra sample | Sample-only kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos Kits UK (asbestoskits.co.uk) | £44.99 | £12 | £27.99 |
| Asbestos-Sampling.com (TYSR Ltd) | £49.95 | £15 | £39.95 |
| Asbestos Testing Kits UK (asbestos-testing.org.uk, Armco's kit site) | £29.95, VAT not stated | £12 | £20 |
| Asbestos Testing UK (asbestos-testing-uk.com, Artisan Environmental) | £34, VAT not stated | £12 | £24 |
| Bradley Environmental | £45 plus VAT | £10 plus VAT | From £15 plus VAT |
| Envirochem | £37.50, VAT not stated | £10 | Not sold in its shop |
| Supernova (asbestos-surveys.org.uk) | £44.99 | £12 | £30 |
| Is It Asbestos? (us) | £44.99 | £12 | Not offered yet |
The lab, the help, and the protection
| Seller | Lab named on the kit page? | UKAS number on the kit page? | Respirator named on the page | Phone line shown? | Result time stated* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asbestos Kits UK | No | No | FFP3 | None shown | 24 hours |
| Asbestos-Sampling.com | No ("an independent UKAS accredited laboratory") | No | FFP3 | No. Its site says "We don't have a telephone line" | 24 hours; faster paid options |
| Asbestos Testing Kits UK (Armco) | No | No | FAQ says FFP3; kit list says "disposable face mask" | Not on the kit site (Armco's main site has one) | Next working day |
| Asbestos Testing UK (Artisan) | No | No | FFP3 | Yes | 5 to 7 working days |
| Bradley Environmental | Yes, its own labs | Yes, 1155 | FFP3 | Yes | Usually within 24 hours |
| Envirochem | Yes, its own lab | Not on the kit page (1227 on its main site) | FFP3 | Yes | 3 to 4 working days |
| Supernova | Only on a separate "send samples" page (Envirochem) | No | FFP3 | Yes | 24 hours |
| Is It Asbestos? (us) | Named on every certificate | Not on our site yet | Kit contents to be published at launch | Not yet | Not stated until the lab confirms it in writing |
*As the sellers state them. Most count from when the lab receives the sample, not from when you order.
Where others lead today
We'd rather you heard this from us.
- Bradley Environmental was the only one of the 23 sellers our research checked that named its lab and its UKAS number on the kit page.
- Most sellers offer a sample-only option. We don't yet.
- Several sellers have a phone line. We don't yet.
- Our kits aren't on sale yet. They're launching soon.
Where we're different
- A free photo check, open now, before you buy anything. Our research didn't find a photo check at any of the 23 sellers. Send us a photo and tell us what you're planning. We'll point at what's worth testing, how many samples, and anything you shouldn't sample at all. We'll never tell you something "is asbestos" or "is safe" from a picture. Only the lab can say what a material is.
- The lab is named on every certificate. Your sample will be analysed by a UKAS-accredited laboratory.
B&Q, Screwfix and Amazon
People often look for a kit at a DIY shop. On B&Q's website, the asbestos test kit listings we saw on 22 and 23 October 2026 were all marketplace listings "Sold & shipped by TYSR Limited", the company behind Asbestos-Sampling.com. Amazon lists kits from several sellers, including some in the tables above. We couldn't check Screwfix or Toolstation listings, because their pages didn't load for us.
Wherever you buy, the questions above still apply. A shop's name on the listing doesn't tell you who the lab is.
- Not sure how many samples you need, or whether a kit is right for you at all? Start the free photo check. It's free, and you don't have to buy from us.
- Read what asbestos testing costs for surveys and lab-only prices too.
Questions people ask
Are home asbestos test kits reliable?
The kit itself doesn't test anything. The lab does. A kit is as good as the lab behind it and the sample you take. Choose a kit whose lab you can check, take a good sample through the full depth of the material, and follow the instructions closely.
What does UKAS mean, and why does it matter?
UKAS, the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, is the national body that checks laboratories against international standards. UK asbestos law requires employers to use a lab accredited to ISO 17025, and that's the standard to look for in a home kit. A lab's name and accreditation number let you check that on the UKAS website. A kit can't be "UKAS accredited": only the lab can.
Does B&Q or Screwfix sell asbestos test kits?
B&Q's website listed kits when we checked on 22 and 23 October 2026, sold through its marketplace by TYSR Limited, the company behind Asbestos-Sampling.com. We couldn't check Screwfix's listings. Whatever the shop, check who the lab is.
Which asbestos test kit is best?
We sell one, so we won't pick a winner. Use the checklist above: a named lab with a UKAS number you can check, an FFP3 respirator, a fair price for extra samples, clear limits on what not to sample, and someone to ask.
Why does the lab's UKAS number matter?
Without it, "UKAS-accredited" is just a phrase. With it, you can look the lab up on the UKAS website and see what it's accredited for, including the identification of asbestos in bulk materials.
Sources
- Our own research notes (A), sections 1, 4 and 6–7 (prices, sample-only options, lab names, UKAS numbers, PPE wording, phone lines and stated result times for each seller; B&Q listings "Sold & shipped by TYSR Limited"; no photo check found at any of 23 sellers), all seen 22–23 Oct 2026. Seller pages: asbestoskits.co.uk · www.asbestos-sampling.com · www.asbestos-sampling.com/pages/about-us · asbestos-testing.org.uk · www.asbestos-testing-uk.com · www.bradley-enviro.co.uk/services/asbestos-consultants/asbestos-self-sampling-kits · shop.envirochem.co.uk/products/asbestos-self-sampling-kit · asbestos-surveys.org.uk/shop/testing-kit · asbestos-surveys.org.uk/shop/send-samples · www.diy.com/search?term=asbestos+test+kit
- UKAS schedules: www.ukas.com/download-schedule/1155/Testing (Bradley) · www.ukas.com/download-schedule/1227/Testing (Envirochem)
- The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, regulation 21 (employers requesting analysis must use a body accredited to ISO 17025): www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2012/632/regulation/21
- HSE, Asbestos essentials EM6 (dust mask "useless"; FFP3; overalls; gloves) (09/17): www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/guidance/em6.pdf
- Our own research notes (C), section 4 (UKAS wording rules; comparisons must be verifiable and not denigrating; limits that must be stated before purchase), 22–23 Oct 2026.
- Our own research notes (B), sections 2 and 5 (retailer-name searches; gap G8), 22–23 Oct 2026.
Updated 23 October 2026
