1# I need to provide a blood sample for a DNA test
For a home paternity test, you will simply rub a swab inside your cheek and apply it to a DNA collection card; these are provided in the Cellmark home DNA test kit. The samples are then sent to the Cellmark lab for testing.
Cellmark provides simple instructions in the home DNA test kit.
2# Home DNA paternity tests are expensive
Cellmark’s home DNA paternity tests are processed in our UK accredited laboratories to a forensic standard but cost just £99.99 when testing the father and one child or £129.99 when also testing the child’s mother.
3# People might see the home DNA test kit when it’s posted to me
The Cellmark home DNA test is sent out in a simple white envelope marked ‘private and confidential’. There is no mention of Cellmark or paternity testing on the envelope, so when it arrives it looks like a standard piece of post.
4# Someone could ring Cellmark, pretend to be me and find out the result
We never give out results by telephone and we don’t discuss a case by phone without completing security checks first.
5# I’ve got my home DNA test result, I can submit it for use in court
If you need a DNA test for use in a family law court case then you need a ‘Court Approved’ test. The main difference is that the samples are collected by an independent sampler; this is normally at a local GP surgery and you have to bring two photos or a form of photo ID to prove who you are. Also the court approved DNA test must be completed by a government accredited laboratory, like Cellmark.
Find out more about a court approved paternity test here.
6# Home DNA tests are only for paternity
Although the most frequent request is for paternity testing, Cellmark’s DNA@Home service can be used to test for a range of other relationships too. Cellmark’s home DNA tests can also be used to test for maternity, for sibling testing (brother or sister), twins testing (to check if they are identical) and also to confirm a grandparent or uncle/aunt relationship.
7# Home DNA Tests take a long time
Cellmark home DNA tests are quick and easy. Simply order the kit online or call 0800 043 1987, the kit is sent out the same day if we receive the request by 3pm. If we receive the samples by 10am you will usually receive the test report by email the following day.
8# I can’t trust the result
When you use a home paternity test it’s for your own peace of mind. The people providing the samples are trusted to submit their DNA for testing. As long as you have submitted DNA samples from the correct people, a test including the father, child and mother (for the most conclusive paternity test) will provide a probability of paternity greater than 99.9999%.
9# I can test a child without consent
Consent is a legal requirement for DNA testing to determine paternity, or any other relationship, under the Human Tissue Act 2004. It is actually a criminal offence to have possession of a sample without consent, with the intension of using it for a paternity test!
You will receive consent forms with the DNA test kit. Adults can give consent for themselves but a person with parental responsibility for the child under 18 must provide consent on their behalf. This is usually the mother, or a father that is named on the birth certificate (provided the birth was registered after 1st Dec 2003) or someone with a formal Parental Responsibility Agreement lodged with a court, or a Parental Responsibility Order or a Residence Order.
10# I need to provide a sample from the mother for a paternity test
Although including a sample from the mother in a paternity test will always provide a more conclusive result, DNA paternity testing can be carried out with just the child and the alleged father and will usually provide a probability of paternity greater than 99.99%.
Order your home paternity test online at www.dna-at-home.co.uk or call 0800 043 1987