Everyone will get "free rapid tests" twice a week in the UK

Everyone in England will have access to two free rapid coronavirus tests from Friday, under an extension of the government's testing program.

The lateral flow sets, which can deliver results in about 30 minutes, are available free of charge at test sites, pharmacies and by post. The health secretary said it would help crush any outbreaks if the lockdowns relaxed.

Critics of the program, however, say it could be the danger of becoming a 'scandalous' waste of money.

This is because Boris Johnson has to meet the cabinet to sign off on the next phase of unlocking in England, which will not reopen essential shops and will serve pubs and restaurants outside from 12 April.

Later, the prime minister will hold an information session in Downing Street, where he is expected to confirm that countries will be rated under a traffic light system when international recreational travel resumes.

He also plans to outline plans for coronavirus passports whether people have been vaccinated, recently tested negative or have natural immunity - as a way to allow mass hearing events to take place in the future.

However, dozens of MPs are opposed to the use of Covid passports and Johnson faces the prospect of an uprising among a number of senior Conservatives if he continues to do so.

Lateral flow tests are already being offered to school children and their families plus those who have to leave home for work.

The Prime Minister hailed the plan to offer the test to everyone from 9 April, saying: 'As we continue to make good progress with our vaccination program and our limited careful restriction of our roadmap, regular quick tests are even more important to ensure make sure those efforts are not wasted. '

Health Minister Edward Argar told BBC Breakfast he expects the sideways flow tests to be used by those returning to work in the coming weeks.

He said less than one in every 1,000 lateral flow tests yields a false positive result and refuse to set an 'arbitrary' date for when the test will end.

Mr Argar said the tests would be paid for as part of NHS Test and Trace's £ 37bn funding over two years, and 80% of that is expected to be used for the test.