Paternity test cost

Here, we answer some of the most common questions relating to the cost of a DNA paternity test.

What is the cost of a paternity test?

AlphaBiolabs offers paternity testing from its UKAS accredited laboratory for just £99 (next day results).

You can also choose to receive same-day results for an extra £70.

Further charges may apply if you decide to purchase additional reports when placing your order.

Can I get a paternity test for free?

No, paternity testing is not available for free, although some companies may advertise their paternity tests as being free of charge.

This can be misleading as although the paternity test might be advertised as free, you will then need to pay a high fee to get your samples processed at the laboratory.

The NHS advises customers to use government-accredited testing laboratories, such as AlphaBiolabs, for paternity testing. That way you can be sure you are getting a high-quality service, from a trusted laboratory.

Any professional testing company will hold UKAS accreditation, which means that they have been assessed against internationally recognised standards to demonstrate competence and performance capability.

What type of paternity test do I need?

Before undertaking any type of DNA testing, including paternity testing, you should think about why you need to take the test.

AlphaBiolabs offers two types of DNA paternity test: Peace of Mind and Legal.

As the name suggests, a peace of mind paternity test is purely for your own information and cannot be used in legal proceedings.

If you require a paternity test for legal reasons, such as for the Child Maintenance Service (formerly CSA), to change a birth certificate or for child custody matters, you will need a legal DNA test.

A peace of mind paternity test can be easily acquired online or purchased from local high street stores. Full instructions are included on how to take the test, including how to collect your DNA samples (cheek cells) using the swabs provided in the kit.

The samples are then returned to our UK laboratory for analysis, with results available the same or next day.

Legal tests may be needed as evidence in court. For these tests, strict chain of custody conditions must be followed, which means that a trained sample collector or medical professional would need to collect your DNA samples and send them back securely to our laboratory for testing.

Legal samples can also be collected for free at one of AlphaBiolabs’ nationwide walk-in centres.

What are the options for my paternity test report?

While ordering your test from AlphaBiolabs, you have the option to add additional reports, including:

• DNA technical data (+£30.00)
• Electropherogram (+£30.00)
• DNA technical data and Electropherogram (+£50.00)
• Hard copy report (+£10.00)

DNA technical data

If you have purchased DNA technical data as part of your report, you will also receive all the raw data from your analysed DNA profile, in table form.

This will include the DNA profiles of each person tested and the likelihood values used to calculate the results. The table will show a comparison of the DNA short tandem repeat (STR) markers shared by the alleged father(s) and the child.

STR markers are specific locations on a chromosome, made up of sequences of repeated DNA. The STR markers that AlphaBiolabs examines are highly variable in length between individuals.

Everyone has two copies of each STR marker, known as alleles, with one inherited from the father and one from the mother. The two alleles observed at each marker are compared between the tested individuals. A full match of these alleles between individuals provides evidence of a relationship between them.

Electropherogram

An electropherogram (ETP) is a graphical representation of the DNA profiles of all tested individuals.

A technique known as capillary electrophoresis is used to allow the DNA profiles to be viewed in this way. An example EPG is shown below:

In the case of relationship testing, each marker will have two alleles (one from each parent). The DNA markers (alleles) may be the same length and will appear as a single peak (e.g., example 1: D3S1358) or they may be different lengths and they will appear as two separate peaks (e.g., example 2: D1S1656).

I need a paternity test before my baby is born. How much does a prenatal paternity test cost?

A prenatal paternity test, performed before the baby is born, starts at £875.

AlphaBiolabs offers three options for a prenatal paternity test:

• Option 1: £875 for results within 7 working days
• Option 2: £1075 for an express service, with results in 4 working days
• Option 3: Interest-free credit – payment is made in instalments

This test can be performed at any point of pregnancy after seven weeks’ gestation. As a woman’s pregnancy is calculated from the date of her last period, this is around nine weeks after that.

A prenatal paternity test is a completely non-invasive procedure, which means there are no risks to the mother or unborn child.

AlphaBiolabs’ prenatal paternity test only requires a cheek (buccal) swab and a blood sample from the mother (usually from her arm), and a cheek swab from the alleged father.

Where can I buy a paternity test?

You can order your peace of mind paternity test or prenatal paternity test online now or by calling our Customer Services team on 0333 600 1300.

You can also email info@alphabiolabs.com for more information.