Pin down the pollen behind your hay fever, near Cardiff
One blood test for 15 of the most common trees, grasses and weeds behind seasonal allergies. Not just "grass pollen" as a category, but exactly which trees and which grasses are driving your IgE response — useful for planning avoidance, timing medication or building a case for allergen immunotherapy. Self-refer at our Penarth or Cowbridge clinics near Cardiff.
Fifteen pollens, one visit.
What is included for £193
- ✓Blood draw at Penarth or Cowbridge, near Cardiff
- ✓15 pollens: 8 trees, 5 grasses and 2 weeds
- ✓Specific IgE for each pollen, plus Total IgE
- ✓Plain-English report with your results and reference ranges
- ✓Anything outside the normal range flagged clearly
- ✓Report emailed to you, easy to share with a clinician
Which pollen? Now you know
Hay fever is easy enough to spot, but "hay fever" covers dozens of pollens with very different seasons. Knowing whether the culprit is birch (April to May), rye grass (June to July) or mugwort (late summer) changes when you medicate, what you avoid, and whether allergen immunotherapy might be worth discussing with a clinician.
Trees, grasses, weeds
Not one lumped result. IgE measured separately against eight trees, five grasses and two weeds — so you can match results to your symptom season.
A report you can read
Your results come with reference ranges and plain-English notes, with anything out of range flagged so it is easy to spot.
A doctor if you want one
Prefer to talk it through? Book a private GP appointment and one of our doctors will go through your results and next steps.
Worth checking if you recognise these
This panel is the right fit when symptoms are clearly seasonal or outdoor, and you want to know the exact pollens involved.
If your symptoms are year-round rather than seasonal, dust mite, pet or mould allergy is often more likely than pollen alone. In that case, a broader panel is a better place to start.
Fifteen pollens, plus Total IgE
Fifteen tree, grass and weed pollens grouped into three categories, each measured for specific IgE, plus Total IgE. Tap a group to see what is included.
Trees 8
Grasses 5
Weeds & other plants 2
Proteins 1
Your report lists every pollen measured with its specific IgE result and reference range.
Difficult veins? We find them with ultrasound
If you have fragile or hard-to-find veins and have had failed attempts before, our consultant radiologists can take the sample under real-time ultrasound. It is the only such service in South Wales, and patients travel to us from across Wales and the West for it.
Nobody had managed to take my blood in years without several attempts. Here it was done first time with the ultrasound. Such a relief.
Verified Google reviewFrom booking to answers, step by step
Book
Self-refer online or by phone. No GP letter needed. Same-week appointments at Penarth or Cowbridge.
Your appointment
The draw takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Tell us if you have difficult veins and we will use ultrasound.
Your report
A plain-English report with reference ranges, emailed to you, with anything out of range flagged. Usually within about six days.
Talk it through
Optional: book a private GP appointment to go through your results and plan any next steps.
Pollen & Grass Allergy blood test
All inclusive. Fifteen pollens across trees, grasses and weeds.
- ✓Blood draw at Penarth or Cowbridge
- ✓Specific IgE for 15 pollens, plus Total IgE
- ✓Plain-English report with reference ranges, emailed to you
- ✓Ultrasound-guided draw available for difficult veins
A £50 booking deposit secures your slot and comes off the total.
Common questions about the pollen allergy test
How much is the Pollen & Grass Allergy Panel?
£193 all inclusive. That covers the blood draw, specific IgE testing for all 15 pollens listed above, Total IgE, and a plain-English report emailed to you. A £50 deposit secures your appointment and comes off the total.
Which pollens does it test for?
Fifteen in total, across three groups: eight trees (silver birch, beech, grey alder, hazel, maple, oak, walnut and willow); five grasses (June grass, meadow fescue, orchard grass, perennial rye grass, timothy grass); and two weeds and other plants (English plantain, mugwort). Total IgE is also measured. You can see the full list in the panel above.
How do the seasons map to these pollens?
As a rough UK guide: tree pollens run late winter through early summer, with silver birch and oak typically peaking April to May and hazel and alder starting as early as January or February. Grass pollens are the main hay fever culprit from May to July, with a peak in June to July. Weed pollens like mugwort tend to run late summer into September. Matching a symptom season to your results can point to the likely trigger.
How is this different from your other allergy panels?
Our First-Line panel includes two pollens (silver birch and timothy grass), and our Enhanced panel adds mugwort. Our Comprehensive Allergy IgE panel covers the same 15 pollens as this test plus pets, dust mite, foods, moulds and yeasts. This Pollen Panel is the right choice when hay-fever-type symptoms are clearly the issue and you want the full pollen picture without paying for the other categories.
Can I use these results for allergen immunotherapy?
Knowing exactly which pollens you are sensitised to is one of the things a clinician needs before considering allergen immunotherapy (SLIT or SCIT). The results here will give you and your doctor that starting point, though a specialist referral will normally be needed to plan and prescribe immunotherapy itself.
How is this different from a skin prick test?
This is a blood test that measures specific IgE antibodies, so it can be done without stopping antihistamines and without exposing your skin to allergens. It is useful when skin testing is not suitable, when you are on treatment that would interfere with a skin test, or when you want a wider pollen picture in one appointment.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. This is a self-refer test. Book online or call 029 2199 9300.
Do I need to prepare or fast?
No fasting is needed for an allergy IgE test, and you do not need to stop antihistamines. We will confirm anything specific to your appointment when you book.
Do I need to test during pollen season?
No. IgE antibodies persist between seasons, so the results are meaningful whenever you are tested. Some clinicians prefer testing outside peak symptoms so the picture is less muddied, but you do not need to wait for a specific time of year.
How quickly will I get my results?
Usually within about six days. Your report lists every pollen measured with its specific IgE result and reference range, and flags anything outside the normal range. We will confirm timing when you book.
Where is the blood taken?
At our Penarth clinic (13 Washington Buildings, CF64 2AD) or our Cowbridge clinic (10 High Street, CF71 7AG). Both are a short drive from Cardiff with easy parking.
I have difficult veins. Can you still take blood?
Yes. Our consultant radiologists can take the sample under real-time ultrasound, the only such service in South Wales. Mention it when you book so we can allow time.
What if this panel is negative but my symptoms continue?
A negative pollen result makes hay-fever-type allergy less likely and points to other triggers — dust mite, pets, moulds or foods — which sit in our other panels. In that case, our Enhanced or Comprehensive panels, or a review with a doctor, would be the sensible next step.
Can a doctor talk me through my results?
Yes. You can book a private GP appointment and one of our doctors will go through your results and next steps.
Want a doctor to explain the results?
Pollen results are most useful alongside your symptom season and any hay fever medication you are taking. Book a private GP appointment and one of our doctors will talk you through what your results mean and any next steps.
Book a GP appointmentTwo clinics, close to Cardiff
Penarth Clinic
13 Washington Buildings
Stanwell Road, Penarth
CF64 2AD
Mon to Thu 9:00 to 18:00
Fri 9:00 to 17:00
Sat 9:00 to 15:00
Cowbridge Clinic
Beauty Within
10 High Street, Cowbridge
CF71 7AG
By appointment. Please call for availability.
Get directionsPatients travel to us from Cardiff, Penarth, Cowbridge, Barry, Newport, Bridgend and across the Vale of Glamorgan.
Important: Pollen allergy results are most useful when read alongside your symptoms and symptom season by a doctor who knows your history. A positive IgE result shows sensitisation and does not always mean a clinical allergy; a negative result across these 15 pollens does not rule out every possible airborne allergy. Allergen immunotherapy decisions require specialist input and cannot be made on a self-refer blood test alone. If you have ever had a severe allergic reaction — throat tightness, swelling or difficulty breathing — seek urgent medical care. We recommend discussing your results with your own GP, or booking a private GP appointment with us, before acting on any findings. Lab values alone do not constitute medical advice.
Find the pollen behind it.
Self-refer for the Pollen & Grass Allergy Panel: 15 trees, grasses and weeds checked in one appointment. £193 all inclusive at Penarth or Cowbridge, near Cardiff.