COELIAC & GLUTEN SENSITIVITY
A coeliac blood test in Kingston, run to the NICE NG20 protocol used in the NHS. The panel measures tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG IgA) and total IgA, with an IgG reflex if IgA is low, so a single venous draw covers the standard first-line coeliac disease screen for women, men and children.
Reviewed by Dr Maryam Attarzadeh, Medical Director at KONCEPT® Medical Clinic (GMC 8193218). All coeliac blood test requests at the clinic are reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor for clinical suitability before booking is confirmed.
These figures from Coeliac UK and the NHS help explain why a clear, doctor-reviewed coeliac blood test matters. The numbers are presented as UK context, not as a prediction of any individual's risk or condition.
Coeliac disease is most frequently diagnosed at ages 40 to 60 in the UK, but it can present at any age, including in childhood. A blood test is the standard first-line investigation.
Coeliac disease is a lifelong autoimmune condition. When someone with coeliac disease eats gluten (a protein found in wheat, barley and rye), the immune system reacts against the small intestinal lining and damages the villi, the tiny finger-like projections that absorb nutrients. Over time, this damage can lead to symptoms, nutritional deficiencies (iron, B12, folate, calcium, vitamin D), low bone density, and complications in pregnancy.
Coeliac disease is not a wheat allergy, and it is not the same as gluten intolerance or non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. These are different conditions with different mechanisms and different tests, summarised in the table below. The blood test on this page is the standard first-line investigation for coeliac disease, in line with NICE guideline NG20.
| Coeliac disease | Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) | Wheat allergy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Lifelong autoimmune condition affecting the small intestine | Symptoms triggered by gluten without the autoimmune reaction or intestinal damage of coeliac disease | An IgE-mediated allergic reaction to wheat proteins |
| Common symptoms | Diarrhoea, bloating, fatigue, weight loss, iron-deficiency anaemia, mouth ulcers, joint pain, skin rash | Bloating, abdominal pain, fatigue, brain fog after eating gluten; no intestinal damage | Hives, swelling, wheeze, anaphylaxis within minutes to hours of eating wheat |
| First-line test | tTG IgA + Total IgA blood test (this panel), then biopsy in many adults to confirm | No reliable blood test; diagnosis is by exclusion (coeliac and wheat allergy ruled out first) | Specific IgE blood test or skin-prick test for wheat |
| Need to be eating gluten at the time of test | Yes · in more than 1 meal a day for at least 6 weeks (per NICE NG20) | Yes, to assess symptoms | No |
| Treatment | Lifelong strict gluten-free diet, monitored long-term | Reduced or gluten-free diet, often informed by symptom diary | Wheat avoidance, allergy action plan |
If you suspect wheat allergy with rapid allergic symptoms, see allergy blood testing or the ALEX Allergy Explorer. If you have already removed gluten from your diet, see the gluten-on-board FAQ below before booking the coeliac blood test, because the test only works on a gluten-containing diet.
Coeliac disease can present in many ways, and around 1 in 4 patients have non-classical symptoms (no diarrhoea), which is part of why diagnosis is often delayed. Expand each category to see the patterns the NHS and Coeliac UK ask GPs and patients to look out for.
None of these symptoms alone confirms coeliac disease. They warrant assessment, ideally a GP review and a coeliac blood test, with onward gastroenterology referral if positive. See the NHS overview of coeliac disease symptoms at nhs.uk/conditions/coeliac-disease/symptoms.
The test is suitable for any patient, child or adult, who has been on a gluten-containing diet for at least 6 weeks. It is most clinically useful in the following groups, in line with NICE NG20.
Chronic diarrhoea, bloating, abdominal pain or constipation that has not settled with first-line management.
Particularly when there is no obvious cause. Coeliac disease is a recognised cause of unexplained iron-deficiency anaemia in adults.
A coeliac screen is part of standard work-up. Paediatric reference ranges are applied at the laboratory.
First-degree relatives have a higher risk than the general population. NICE NG20 recommends offering testing to first-degree relatives.
All recognised associations with coeliac disease per NICE NG20. Testing is recommended even without GI symptoms.
Untreated coeliac disease is a recognised contributor to reproductive difficulty in women and is reasonable to exclude as part of work-up.
Particularly alongside any of the above. A blood test is a low-burden way to exclude coeliac disease as a contributor.
The characteristic itchy, blistering skin rash of coeliac disease. Specialist dermatology review is usually appropriate alongside testing.
The panel is the NICE NG20 first-line coeliac screen, the same test used in the NHS. One venous blood draw, then the laboratory measures the following:
The first-line antibody for coeliac disease in both adults and children. A raised result in someone eating gluten is suggestive of coeliac disease and warrants gastroenterology referral, usually for confirmatory biopsy in adults.
Around 2 to 3% of people with coeliac disease are IgA deficient. If total IgA is low, the tTG IgA result cannot be relied on alone, so the laboratory reflexes to an IgG-based test (see below) automatically.
Added automatically if total IgA is low or undetectable, so the result is interpretable for IgA-deficient patients. This avoids a false-negative coeliac screen.
The reviewing doctor interprets the result in your clinical context. A positive result is not a diagnosis on its own; it is the first step in a pathway that usually involves gastroenterology referral and, in adults, a confirmatory small-bowel biopsy. A negative result on a gluten-containing diet effectively rules out coeliac disease for now.
NICE NG20: Continue to eat some gluten in more than 1 meal every day for at least 6 weeks before testing. If you have already stopped or reduced gluten, the test can come back falsely negative and the result will not be reliable.
If you cannot or will not eat gluten before testing, the doctor will discuss alternative pathways with you, which may involve gastroenterology referral for further assessment. Children should also be on a gluten-containing diet at the time of testing.
Depending on what you already know about your symptoms and whether you want a doctor to discuss the result with you in detail, there are three sensible routes into the test.
Book the coeliac blood test online (Medesk), by phone on 020 8129 1011, or in person. A GMC-registered doctor reviews each request for clinical suitability before booking is confirmed.
Eat gluten in more than 1 meal per day for at least 6 weeks before testing (per NICE NG20). If you have already removed gluten, the test will not be reliable; discuss with the clinic at booking.
A single venous blood sample is taken at the clinic at 46-48 Wood Street, Kingston. Fasting is not required. The visit takes around 15 minutes. Topical anaesthetic cream is offered for children where suitable.
The sample is processed at the accredited UK pathology laboratory. tTG IgA, Total IgA, and an IgG-based reflex if needed, with paediatric or adult reference ranges applied.
The result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor at KONCEPT® and a written outcome note is sent securely by email. If the result is positive, onward gastroenterology referral is arranged where appropriate (NHS or private).
For adults, a positive blood test is usually followed by gastroenterology referral for confirmatory small-bowel biopsy. For children, paediatric gastroenterology assessment guides the next step. The clinic shares the result with your NHS GP with your consent.
NHS general practice provides excellent core medical care for coeliac disease, including assessment, blood-test interpretation, gastroenterology referral and lifelong follow-up. The coeliac blood test at KONCEPT® is designed to complement, not replace, that pathway. It is most useful when patients want a faster route to a clear answer or want a longer, private consultation around the result.
| NHS pathway | Coeliac blood test at KONCEPT® | |
|---|---|---|
| First-line serology | tTG IgA + Total IgA per NICE NG20 | Same protocol: tTG IgA + Total IgA + IgG reflex |
| Referral for biopsy | Gastroenterology referral if positive; subject to local availability | Onward NHS or private gastroenterology referral arranged at KONCEPT® |
| Result interpretation | NHS GP, subject to appointment availability | GMC-registered doctor at KONCEPT®, with NHS GP liaison on consent |
| Follow-up after diagnosis | NHS dietetics, gastroenterology and primary-care monitoring | NHS-led; KONCEPT® can provide private dietetics-style discussion at GP consultation |
| Cost | NHS-funded | £238 all-in (£199 test + £39 administration fee) |
The NHS continues to provide excellent core medical care for coeliac disease investigation, diagnosis and follow-up. KONCEPT® is designed to complement, not replace, NHS care, and encourages continued NHS GP involvement and onward sharing of clinical information with your consent. NHS service availability varies by region, specialty, clinical urgency and provider; see NICE CKS Coeliac Disease and the NHS Coeliac Disease pathway for current first-line options.
The blood test itself is the same for women, men and children. The clinical context, related symptoms and onward pathway can differ. Three short notes:
Coeliac disease is more commonly diagnosed in women than men. Iron-deficiency anaemia, fatigue and unexplained subfertility or recurrent miscarriage are common reasons for testing. The coeliac blood test is one of the markers offered at 10% off if the GP recommends it at the Wellwomen Check.
Coeliac disease is often missed in men because GI symptoms are sometimes attributed to other causes. Long-standing unexplained fatigue, iron-deficiency anaemia or persistent gut symptoms warrant a coeliac screen. Available at 10% off if recommended at the Wellman Check.
The coeliac blood test is offered to children at the clinic with parental or guardian consent for under-16s. Topical anaesthetic cream is offered where suitable. The same NICE NG20 protocol applies, with paediatric reference ranges at the laboratory. See the dedicated children's blood tests overview for the wider children's panel set.
The clinic sits at 46-48 Wood Street, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 1UW, a short walk from Kingston station. Women, men and children book the coeliac and gluten sensitivity blood test from Kingston upon Thames itself and from Surbiton, Norbiton, Hampton Wick, Kingston Riverside, New Malden, Richmond, Teddington, Wimbledon, the wider KT and SW postcodes, and the surrounding South West London area. Same / next-day, Saturday and out-of-hours blood-draw appointments are subject to availability at the time of booking; the laboratory turnaround for the coeliac result is typically 2 to 5 working days.
30-min appointment at £149 to discuss your symptoms or coeliac result with a GMC-registered doctor. Onward gastroenterology referral arranged where appropriate.
30-min personalised GP consultation for women, £399. 10% off any women's blood test (including the coeliac screen) if recommended.
30-min personalised GP consultation for men, £399. 10% off any Men's Blood Test (including the coeliac screen) if recommended.
The wider children's panel set, including Essential Health, Iron & Anaemia, Growth & Puberty (which already includes a coeliac screen), and Thyroid.
For suspected wheat allergy (rapid allergic symptoms) rather than coeliac disease. Different mechanism, different test.
Broader baseline including FBC, ferritin and other markers commonly affected in coeliac disease.
Three ways to book. Online booking is fastest; phone is useful if you would like to discuss timing, the gluten-on-board requirement or paediatric arrangements with the clinic team first.
The test measures tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG IgA), the first-line antibody for coeliac disease, together with total IgA so that an IgA-deficient patient can be correctly identified. If total IgA is low, the laboratory reflexes automatically to an IgG-based test (tTG IgG, DGP IgG or EMA IgG depending on the laboratory protocol). This is the standard NICE NG20 first-line coeliac screen used in the NHS.
Yes. Per NICE NG20, you must eat some gluten in more than 1 meal per day for at least 6 weeks before testing. If you have already stopped or reduced gluten, the test can come back falsely negative. If you cannot or will not eat gluten before testing, discuss this with the clinic at booking; the doctor may recommend gastroenterology referral for further assessment.
The blood test is the first-line screen for coeliac disease. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) does not have a reliable blood test and is diagnosed by exclusion, after coeliac disease and wheat allergy have been ruled out. Wheat allergy is a different condition and needs a specific IgE blood test or skin-prick test instead. See the comparison table above.
£199 test fee, plus a £39 administration fee per visit, totalling £238 all-in. The same test fee applies for women, men and children. If the test is recommended at a Wellwomen or Wellman Check, you receive 10% off the test fee.
Typically 2 to 5 working days from the date your sample is processed. The clinic will let you know if your result will take longer (for example, if the IgG reflex test is needed because total IgA is low).
A raised tTG IgA in someone eating gluten is suggestive of coeliac disease and warrants gastroenterology referral. In adults, the standard pathway is confirmatory small-bowel biopsy to make the formal diagnosis. The doctor reviewing your result will explain the next step and arrange onward NHS or private referral. A positive blood test is not a diagnosis on its own.
A negative result on a gluten-containing diet effectively rules out coeliac disease for now. If symptoms continue, further investigation may still be appropriate, for example for non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), wheat allergy, lactose intolerance or another cause. The doctor will discuss next steps in your outcome note.
Yes. The same NICE NG20 protocol applies to children, and the laboratory applies paediatric reference ranges. Under-16s need parental or guardian consent at booking. Topical anaesthetic cream is offered where suitable to make the blood draw more comfortable.
NICE NG20 recommends offering testing to first-degree relatives of someone with coeliac disease. Your individual risk is higher than the general population, even without symptoms. Discuss with the clinic team or your NHS GP whether testing is right for you now or at a future point.
Yes, this is recommended in NICE NG20. Coeliac disease is more common in people with type 1 diabetes, autoimmune thyroid disease, Down syndrome and Turner syndrome. Testing is reasonable even without GI symptoms.
Yes. Coeliac disease is a recognised cause of unexplained iron-deficiency anaemia in adults. NICE NG20 lists this as one of the situations in which serological testing is recommended.
No fasting is required for the coeliac blood test. You should continue your normal diet, including gluten, as described above.
Yes, with your consent. The clinic shares the result and any onward recommendation with your NHS GP so your records stay current and your care stays coordinated, including the long-term follow-up that NHS pathways provide if you are diagnosed with coeliac disease.
Yes. All test requests, results and records are handled in line with the clinic's privacy policy, GDPR and the clinic's clinical-records procedures. Information is only shared with your NHS GP or other clinicians with your explicit consent.
The coeliac blood test is not reliable on a gluten-free diet, because the antibodies it measures rise in response to gluten. If you have already removed gluten and cannot reintroduce it, NICE NG20 recommends gastroenterology referral for further assessment, which may include genetic testing (HLA-DQ2 / DQ8) and a careful gluten challenge under specialist supervision. The clinic team can advise on the appropriate route.
No. Many commercial "food intolerance" tests measure IgG antibodies against foods, and there is no agreed evidence base for these as a coeliac screen. The coeliac blood test on this page measures tissue transglutaminase IgA (tTG IgA), the antibody specifically associated with coeliac disease, in line with NICE NG20. The two are not interchangeable.
References and sources
In summary, the coeliac and gluten sensitivity blood test at KONCEPT® Medical Clinic in Kingston is the NICE NG20 first-line serology screen for coeliac disease, available to women, men and children on a gluten-containing diet. Result interpretation by a GMC-registered doctor, with onward gastroenterology referral arranged where appropriate. Designed to complement, not replace, the care you receive from your NHS GP.
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. A positive coeliac blood test is not a diagnosis on its own; in adults, the standard pathway includes confirmatory small-bowel biopsy. A negative result on a gluten-containing diet effectively rules out coeliac disease for now. The test is unreliable on a gluten-free diet. KONCEPT® is designed to complement, not replace, the care you receive from your NHS GP. Same / next-day blood-draw appointments are subject to availability at the time of booking; turnaround for the result is typically 2 to 5 working days.