Covid PCR test providers who have taken advantage of travellers and will face thousands in fines, Sajid Javid has said.

Ninety-one companies providing PCR tests for holidaymakers have been removed from an official list following an investigation from the Competition Markets Authority (CMA), with another 135 forced to correct inaccurate test prices.

The Government provides a list of companies and clinics offering Covid testing, but many lack full accreditation and more than 100 outlets in August were charging £200 or more, Sky News reported.

Some were failing to send out the tests on time or were not returning the results in time, while some companies changed their names so they appeared at the top of the alphabetical list.

Mr Javid, who ordered the review, said more companies “will be removed from the list” if they advertise “misleading prices again.”

He said: “From 21 September, in order to ensure travel test providers are performing to a high legalised standard, there will be tough new penalties for companies that fail to follow the law, including fixed fines of up to £10,000.

“It is completely unacceptable for any private testing company to take advantage of holidaymakers and we are taking action to clamp down on cowboy behaviour.”

The CMA advised that the government to create a one-stop shop list of “approved test providers by significantly improving the basic standards to qualify for inclusion and remaining on the gov.uk list,” warning of a “race to the bottom” if testing standards are not improved.

One family told i the ‘crazy expense’ of PCR tests and travel restrictions stopped them visiting sick daughter in A&E.

A petition to make free PCR tests for travellers has been signed by more than 390,000 people on change.org.

Neill, from Canterbury, who works in the travel industry and created the petition, said “many cannot afford the additional costs” to travel, fearing huge-lay offs if the testing process doesn’t improve.

 The average cost for testing per person per trip is £236, costing a four-person family nearly £1000.

He said: “Despite being allowed to travel, many can not afford the additional costs.

“Not only does this mean not being able to travel abroad for many, it means more redundancies and pay cuts for airline and airport staff.”