If you're in the UK and looking at whole genome sequencing, the €399 you see on Dante Labs' homepage is not the price you pay. Add VAT, add the exchange rate spread, and the final number is materially different from the sticker. Here's the actual maths for UK buyers, plus the delivery, customs, and refund realities specific to ordering from Italy into Britain post-Brexit.
Price maths for UK buyers
Dante's prices are set in euros and displayed inclusive of applicable VAT for buyers in the EU/UK. The UK VAT rate is 20%. The exchange rate you get depends on your card provider — most credit cards use the interbank rate plus a small spread; debit cards vary.
Approximate conversions above use a mid-market rate of £0.85/€. Your card's actual conversion will vary within about 1–3% of these numbers.
Delivery from Italy to the UK
Dante ships kits worldwide free of charge from their lab in L'Aquila, Italy. From Italy to the UK typically takes 5–10 working days for delivery of the kit, though occasional delays into 2 weeks are not unheard of.
Post-Brexit, EU-to-UK shipments are subject to customs processing. In practice, personal saliva-collection kits at this value are processed as low-value personal imports and rarely see additional charges at the border because VAT has already been collected at checkout. If your kit does get stopped for customs, contact Dante support with the tracking number — they've dealt with the issue before and can usually provide the paperwork to clear it.
Sample return: UK back to Italy
Every kit includes a prepaid international return label. The saliva sample travels back to L'Aquila by international post. Add 5–10 days for that leg. The sample is stabilised in a buffer so refrigeration is not required in transit — important for European summer months when parcels can sit in warm sorting facilities.
One practical tip specific to UK Royal Mail: use a tracked drop-off rather than a standard postbox. International tracked mail into Italy is materially more reliable than untracked, and the tracking number gives you and Dante recourse if the sample goes missing.
Total timeline for UK buyers
| Stage | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Order to kit dispatch | 1–3 days | Faster during standard weeks, slower during flash-sale surges |
| Italy to UK delivery | 5–10 days | Customs typically fine |
| Collect + register + post | 1–3 days | Register first, then spit |
| UK to Italy return | 5–10 days | Use tracked post |
| Sequencing + interpretation | 8–12 weeks | Dante's rate-limiting step |
| Total | 11–15 weeks | Budget 3–4 months |
NHS considerations
Dante's consumer whole genome test is not commissioned by the NHS. If you have a specific medical indication — suspected rare disease, hereditary cancer risk assessment, undiagnosed neurological condition — you may be eligible for clinical WGS through the NHS Genomic Medicine Service, referred by a hospital genetics consultant. That's a different test, ordered clinically, and billed through NHS pathways.
The consumer test is for people who want the analysis without a clinical indication, or who want data ownership (raw FASTQ/BAM/VCF files that the NHS pathway does not provide to patients).
UK data protection
Dante is GDPR compliant. UK GDPR post-Brexit is functionally equivalent for these purposes. Your data is stored in EU servers (Italy and Ireland). Under UK GDPR you retain the right to access, rectification, erasure, and portability of your data. Dante's privacy policy details the request process.
Refunds and consumer rights
As an EU-based seller shipping to a UK consumer, Dante is subject to distance-selling regulations. In practice, once the kit ships and you've had opportunity to inspect it, standard consumer rights around defective goods apply. Once you've used the kit — produced saliva into the tube — the product is considered consumed and non-returnable. If sequencing fails due to sample quality issues on Dante's side, they will replace the kit at no charge.
Bottom line for UK buyers
Budget approximately £130–£340 depending on when you order, plan for a 3–4 month total timeline, use tracked Royal Mail for the return sample, and refuse dynamic currency conversion at checkout. Order using the GENOME discount code applied at Dante Labs' checkout.
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