Quick answer: On the NHS in England, Mounjaro is being offered through GP practices in phases: since June 2026 you need a BMI of 35 or more with at least four of five weight-related conditions, and practices can choose whether to take part. Wegovy is mainly available through specialist weight services. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland offer less. Privately, Mounjaro costs roughly £144–360 a month.
In this guide
Who this is for — and who shouldn't use these medicines
This guide is for adults in the UK living with obesity who want to know whether they can get Mounjaro (tirzepatide) or Wegovy (semaglutide) on the NHS, and what the private route involves. These are prescription medicines given as weekly injections, used alongside changes to diet and activity.
They aren't suitable for everyone. Don't seek them privately if you're pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive, are under 18, or have had an eating disorder; tell any prescriber about pancreatitis, gallbladder disease, or a personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer. The MHRA also advises that people taking the contraceptive pill with Mounjaro use a barrier method for four weeks after starting and after each dose increase.
On the NHS in England
Mounjaro through GP practices
NICE recommends Mounjaro for adults with a BMI of 35 or more and at least one weight-related condition, with lower BMI thresholds for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds. Because so many people qualify, NHS England is rolling it out in phases, starting with those at highest risk. The five conditions counted are type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart or circulatory disease, obstructive sleep apnoea and abnormal cholesterol.
- Phase 1 (from June 2025): BMI 40 or more with at least four of the five conditions.
- Phase 2 (from June 2026, now): BMI 35 to 39.9 with at least four of the five.
- Phase 3 (planned from April 2027): BMI 40 or more with at least three of the five.
Since April 2026 prescribing has been part of the GP contract, but practices aren't required to prescribe, so ask whether yours does. Your BMI is measured at the practice, you must agree to diet and behaviour support alongside the medicine, and normal prescription charges apply. Meeting the criteria doesn't guarantee a prescription straight away.
Wegovy through specialist services
NICE recommends Wegovy for people with a BMI of 35 or more and a weight-related condition, or 30 to 34.9 if they meet the criteria for specialist referral, prescribed within a specialist weight management service for up to two years. Your GP refers you; the NHS describes this as the route for weight-loss medicines outside the Mounjaro rollout. Waits for these services can be long, and some have paused new referrals.
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Wales: a Welsh Government circular says these medicines should only be prescribed through specialist weight management services, with limited exceptions for urgent clinical reasons. Ministers haven't yet decided on wider GP prescribing.
- Scotland: health boards decide. Only 705 people had been treated on the NHS by September 2026, mostly in a handful of boards running pilots, according to BBC freedom of information figures.
- Northern Ireland: the Department of Health is setting up a regional obesity management service, starting with people at highest clinical need; ask your GP whether it's taking referrals in your area.
Going private: what it costs and what's included
Most people who don't qualify on the NHS buy through an online pharmacy or a high-street chain's online doctor service. After the manufacturer raised UK list prices in September 2025, private Mounjaro costs roughly £144–360 a month and Wegovy roughly £89–199, depending on the dose, according to a price comparison checked in October 2026. Higher doses cost more, so budget for the dose you'll reach, not the starter price.
The pharmacy regulator, the GPhC, treats weight-loss medicines as high risk. Its guidance says prescribers must independently verify your weight and height — by video, in person, through your records or by contacting your GP — and that a questionnaire alone isn't enough. In October 2026 the trade press reported GPhC enforcement action against two large online weight-loss pharmacies over these checks, so a careful consultation is a good sign, not an obstacle.
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How to buy safely
- Check the pharmacy on the GPhC register (the PSNI register in Northern Ireland). The old green online-pharmacy logo no longer applies in Great Britain, so don't rely on it.
- Expect a proper consultation and a prescription before anything is sent.
- Avoid salons, social media sellers and "research" peptides. The MHRA says powder vials aren't authorised; in October 2026 it seized more than 12,000 counterfeit weight-loss pens in Birmingham.
- Report side effects or suspected fakes through the MHRA's Yellow Card scheme.
Compare your options
| Route | Who it's for now | Cost | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| NHS GP practice (England, Mounjaro) | BMI 35+ with at least 4 of the 5 conditions | Prescription charge | Practices can opt out; diet and behaviour support required |
| NHS specialist weight service (Wegovy) | BMI 35+ with a condition, or 30–34.9 meeting referral criteria | Prescription charge | GP referral; long waits; up to 2 years |
| Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland | Specialist services and pilots | Free prescriptions | Very limited access in 2026 |
| Private online pharmacy | Anyone a prescriber judges suitable | Mounjaro about £144–360 a month; Wegovy about £89–199 | Check the GPhC register; expect weight verification |
Private prices checked and can change. Outside the UK, see who qualifies at BMI 27 with high blood pressure or medical weight loss in Canada.
What to do next
- Check your BMI and conditions against the current NHS phase.
- Ask your GP practice whether it prescribes Mounjaro for obesity, or for a referral to a specialist weight service.
- If you go private, check the pharmacy on the GPhC register and expect it to verify your weight.
- Budget for the full dose, and for staying on treatment: weight often returns when it stops.
- Report side effects to your prescriber and through Yellow Card.
The medical weight-loss check works out your BMI, applies the prescribing thresholds clinicians use, flags anything that needs a GP first, and shows the NHS route before private options.
Check my eligibilityCommon questions
Can my GP prescribe Mounjaro for weight loss?
Possibly. Since April 2026 prescribing Mounjaro for obesity has been part of the GP contract in England, but practices aren't required to offer it, so access varies. You currently need a BMI of 35 or more with at least four of five weight-related conditions, and you must take part in diet and behaviour support.
Is Wegovy available on the NHS?
Yes, but mainly through specialist weight management services rather than your GP. NICE recommends it for people with a BMI of 35 or more and a weight-related condition, or 30 to 34.9 if they meet referral criteria, for up to two years. Waits for these services can be long, and some have paused new referrals.
How much does Mounjaro cost privately in the UK?
Roughly £144 to £360 a month in October 2026, depending on the dose and the pharmacy, after the manufacturer raised UK prices in September 2025. Higher doses cost more. Check what the price includes, such as consultations and delivery, and that the pharmacy appears on the GPhC register.
Why does the NHS ask for four conditions?
Because the rollout is phased by clinical need. NHS England began with people at highest risk: a BMI of 40 or more with at least four of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnoea and abnormal cholesterol. From June 2026 it widened to BMI 35 to 39.9, and a further phase is planned for April 2027.
Related guides
Sources
- NICE. Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity (TA1026).
- NICE. Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity (TA875) — information for the public.
- NHS England. Interim commissioning guidance: implementation of NICE TA1026 (tirzepatide).
- NHS Cheshire and Merseyside. Mounjaro (tirzepatide) — cohorts, GP participation and wraparound care. Updated 2 April 2026.
- NHS Lincolnshire ICB. Weight loss medicine.
- NHS. Obesity — treatment. Reviewed 29 April 2026.
- Welsh Government. Welsh Health Circular WHC/2025/043 — weight management medicines. Updated 7 July 2026.
- Clydebank Post. Just 705 Scots given Mounjaro or Wegovy on the NHS (BBC freedom of information figures). September 2026.
- Department of Health (Northern Ireland). NI to get its first obesity management service.
- Pharmaceutical Technology. Lilly's UK Mounjaro price rise from 1 September 2025.
- Healthcount. UK GLP-1 price comparison. Accessed 18 October 2026.
- General Pharmaceutical Council. Providing weight management services — FAQs.
- Chemist+Druggist. GPhC takes action against two major weight-loss pharmacies. 6 October 2026.
- MHRA. GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know. Updated 5 February 2026.
- MHRA. Counterfeit weight-loss pens worth £2 million seized. October 2026.
- GOV.UK. Distance selling logo — where it applies.
General information, not medical advice — see our medical disclaimer. Written to the WhereToStart editorial policy. Next scheduled review: .