When you'll be invited for cervical screening

Who cervical screening is for

All women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 should go for regular cervical screening.

You'll be invited for screening every 5 years from when you're 25 to 64 years old. You'll get your first invitation a few months before you turn 25.

You may be invited more regularly if you have HPV.

If you're 65 or older, you'll only be invited if a recent test was abnormal.

You'll get an invitation through the NHS App, by text or by letter asking you to make an appointment and telling you how to book.

You can book an appointment as soon as you get an invitation.

If you missed your last cervical screening, you do not need to wait for an invitation to book an appointment.

If you're trans or non-binary

If you're a trans man or are non-binary and have a cervix, how you're invited depends on the sex you're registered with at a GP surgery.

• If you're registered as female with a GP, you'll automatically be invited for cervical screening.
• If you're registered as anything other than female, such as male or indeterminate, you may not be invited for cervical screening automatically – speak to your GP surgery, sexual health service, or transgender health clinic and ask to get invitations automatically.

If you're a trans woman or are non-binary and do not have a cervix, you do not need to have cervical screening. But, if you're registered with a GP as female, you may still be invited. Contact your GP surgery, sexual health service or transgender health clinic and ask to stop being invited.

Find out more about population screening for trans and non-binary people on GOV.UK

When cervical screening is not recommended

If you're under 25

You will not be invited for cervical screening until you're 25 because:

• cervical cancer is very rare in people under 25
• it might mean you have treatment you do not need – abnormal cell changes often go back to normal in younger women

If you're 65 or older

You'll usually stop being invited for screening once you turn 65. This is because it's very unlikely that you'll get cervical cancer if your recent tests did not find anything.

You'll only be invited again if a recent test was abnormal.

If you're 65 or older and have never been for cervical screening, or have not had cervical screening since the age of 50, you can ask your GP for a test.

If you've had a total hysterectomy

You will not need to go for cervical screening if you've had a total hysterectomy to remove all of your womb and cervix.

You should not receive any more screening invitations.