NHS vs private: what weight loss medicine costs in the UK
On the NHS you pay the prescription charge or nothing. Privately you pay the pharmacy's price each month. Here are both.
On the NHS in England you pay the standard prescription charge per item unless you are exempt. Privately, on 12 October 2026 the lowest delivered first order price is £90.00 for Mounjaro and £44.00 for Wegovy at the starting dose.
What you pay on the NHS
- England: the standard NHS prescription charge per item, unless you are exempt.
- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: NHS prescriptions are free.
- Access is limited to the groups described on the NHS page. Source: NHS England.
What you pay privately, today
| Mounjaro | 2.5mg | £90.00 | £134.99 | £153.97 | £2,444.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wegovy | 0.25mg | £44.00 | £89.00 | £99.00 | £1,898.88 |
| Wegovy pill | 1.5mg | £53.00 | £93.25 | £108.50 | £1,228.88 |
| Foundayo | 0.8mg | £46.00 | £84.00 | £99.99 | £1,364.88 |
Why many people pay privately
NICE estimated 3.4 million people are eligible for Mounjaro under its guidance, and about 220,000 are expected to gain NHS access in the first three years. Sources: House of Commons Library, NHS England. A private prescriber can assess anyone who meets the medicine licence.
Ways to compare the private cost
- Price index
- Cheapest pharmacy league table
- Compare treatments
- First order vs ongoing price
- Discount codes
Questions
Is Mounjaro free on the NHS?
An NHS prescription is charged at the standard prescription charge in England, unless you are exempt. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How much does Mounjaro cost privately in the UK?
On 12 October 2026 the lowest delivered first order price for Mounjaro 2.5mg is £90.00 and the median is £134.99.
How much does Wegovy cost privately in the UK?
On 12 October 2026 the lowest delivered first order price for Wegovy 0.25mg is £44.00 and the median is £89.00.
Why are private prices so different between pharmacies?
Each pharmacy sets its own price. First order discounts, postage and service fees all differ. GLP Index shows the delivered total at every pharmacy.
Official sources
Every rule on this page comes from the sources below. GLP Index checked each one on 8 October 2026.
- NHS England. Weight management injections. Checked 8 October 2026.
- House of Commons Library. Weight loss medicines in England (CBP-10171). 10 April 2025.
- NHS England. Interim commissioning guidance: NICE TA1026 tirzepatide. Reviewed April 2026.
More on UK rules
- GLP-1 medicines in the UK: which are licensed for weight loss
- Who can get weight loss medicine in the UK
- Weight loss injections on the NHS: who qualifies and when
- Buying weight loss medicine online: the UK rules
- MHRA safety advice for weight loss medicines
- Why weight loss medicines are not advertised in the UK
- Who regulates weight loss medicines in the UK
- UK weight loss medicine timeline: every key decision
- All UK rules pages