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Oluwakemi Agunbiade reflects on the impact of the Timms Review and potential changes in disability benefits for people living with HIV.

Dan Glass shares reflections from the International AIDS Conference 2026.

Annie Howard, HIV Confident Programme Manager, shares how HIV Confident is helping organisations turn awareness into action for Zero HIV Stigma Day.

A new Private Member’s Bill is attracting widespread attention and support, including a moving feature on BBC’s The One Show this week (29 January 2018). The Bill admirably aims to increase protection for emergency workers who suffer assaults at work, with a focus on tougher sentencing laws.[1] But one part of the Bill is alarming to us at NAT, and other public health experts. This part will make it an offence, punishable by fine, for suspects to refuse to be tested for infectious diseases following spitting and biting incidents.

One year before she died, in the summer of 1996, Diana, Princess of Wales, resigned from almost 100 charities of which she had been patron or president. Instead she chose to concentrate on just six which she felt most passionately about. One of them was the National Aids Trust, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary.

As part of the Jo Cox Lonliness Forum’s focus on loneliness and disability, Andy reflects on how specialised HIV support services made a difference to him after his diagnosis.

Ever since the abolition of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was announced, we at NAT have heard a lot of anxiety from people living with HIV about Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which is being brought in to replace DLA.

Last week the Government published the 2017 Drugs Strategy, the first national drugs strategy since 2010. The previous drug strategy was heavily criticised for its focus on abstinence, and little mention of harm reduction initiatives. The 2017 Drugs Strategy unfortunately does not go much further.

In two years, investment in community based HIV prevention decreased by over a third in London. This coincided with significant Government cuts to the public health grant. In the same period, there has been reduction in HIV diagnoses amongst MSM in some parts of the city. So, do the funding cuts to prevention matter? If we want to sustain and build on our success, then yes, they matter a lot.

Last month newspapers reported the trial and conviction of a man who had gone berserk in a Manchester hotel, during which he both caused criminal damage and bit a police officer who had been called to the scene to restrain him. Deplorable of course, though sadly not that uncommon an event. But there was a twist to this story, fastened on in newspaper headlines:

“‘Vile coward’ salesman with HIV deliberately BIT family man copper in shock hotel assault”

We’re calling on the next government to stand with people affected by HIV

The NAT appeal will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Easter Sunday at 07.55 and 21.26, and on Thursday April 20th at 15.27. In the week following its broadcast you will be able to listen to it on the Radio 4 website.