How to Qualify for Prescription Weight Loss Medication: UK Criteria (October 2026)

01 · The criteria

The licensed criteria for weight loss medication

Mounjaro is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related condition. Qualifying conditions include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.¹ It must be used with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity.¹

For a fuller breakdown, see our guide to the medical criteria to qualify and our page on criteria for Mounjaro.

02 · NHS or private

NHS versus private: the honest picture

Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years. NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one weight-related condition. The primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first, initially BMI 40+ with four or more qualifying conditions.⁴⁶ Full rollout is expected to take years, so many people who meet the licensed criteria choose regulated private treatment instead of waiting.

Wegovy access on the NHS runs through specialist weight-management services; ask your GP. If you meet the licensed criteria and want to go private, our Mounjaro pen starts at £169.99 for the 2.5mg starter, standard price. New customers save £40 on their first order with code FIRST40, and every later order is £25 off (code DOSE25). The consultation is free.

03 · How it works

How assessment works with us

Assessment is a short online process, reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber rather than a scoring script.

• Free consultation: a short health questionnaire, no charge and no obligation. Start your free consultation.
• Payment is taken when you place the order; if the prescriber decides the treatment is not suitable, the order is refunded automatically in full.
• Dispatch and delivery: same-day dispatch when ordered by 3pm, then free next-day tracked delivery in temperature-controlled packaging.

Our Mounjaro comes through official LillyDirect supply, and doses are in stock. Read more about the online doctor consultation route.

04 · How clinicians decide

How clinicians decide

A prescriber assesses your BMI, medical history and current medicines before deciding whether Mounjaro is suitable.¹ BMI is the starting point, not the whole decision. Being within the criteria does not mean treatment is automatically right, and being just outside them does not always close the door to other options.

Expect questions about conditions you have, medicines you take, past pregnancies or plans to conceive, and your history with diet and activity. Honest answers matter, because they protect you.

05 · Ethnicity and BMI

Ethnic background and BMI thresholds

People from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds are at higher risk of weight-related health problems at a lower BMI. Clinical thresholds are usually reduced by 2.5 kg/m² for these groups. Tell your prescriber your background so the assessment reflects it.

06 · Who should not take it

Who should not take Mounjaro

Meeting the BMI criteria is not enough if the medicine is unsafe for you. You should not take it if you are allergic to tirzepatide or any ingredient, and it should not be used during pregnancy or while trying to conceive.¹ Mounjaro must not be used during pregnancy, and it should be stopped at least one month before trying to conceive. If you become pregnant during treatment, stop the medicine and tell your prescriber promptly. Your prescriber will take extra care, or may recommend against treatment, if you have a history of pancreatitis, severe gut or digestive disease, diabetic retinopathy or gallbladder problems.¹

In rodent studies tirzepatide caused thyroid C-cell tumours; it is not known whether this applies to humans, and no increase has been shown in human trials. Tell your prescriber if you or a close relative have had medullary thyroid cancer or MEN 2.¹

Also tell your prescriber about everything you take. Mounjaro slows stomach emptying and can affect how quickly some oral medicines are absorbed; warfarin, insulin and sulfonylureas need particular attention, as doses may need reducing to avoid low blood sugar.¹

07 · What to expect after qualifying

What to expect once you qualify

Everyone starts on 2.5mg weekly. This starter dose is about letting your body adjust, not weight loss itself. After at least 4 weeks it rises to 5mg, then in 2.5mg steps at minimum 4-week intervals up to 15mg, depending on response and tolerance.¹

In the SURMOUNT-1 trial of 2,539 adults, people on tirzepatide with diet and exercise lost on average 15% of body weight on 5mg, 19.5% on 10mg and 20.9% on 15mg over 72 weeks, versus 3.1% with lifestyle changes alone. These are trial averages and individual results vary.²

Think in months, not days. If you have lost less than 5% of your starting weight after 6 months on the highest dose you can tolerate, your prescriber will discuss whether continuing or stopping is right for you. Ongoing monthly reviews are included with us. See also the effective prescription weight loss medications overview.

08 · Telehealth and safety

Getting treatment safely online

Legitimate online treatment needs a consultation and a prescription. Be wary of anyone offering to supply without a consultation or prescription, as counterfeit medicines are a known risk; the MHRA publishes alerts.⁷ Check that a pharmacy appears on the GPhC register; ours is 9012878. Our guide explains whether you can obtain prescription weight loss medications through telehealth. For the wider landscape, see the prescription weight loss medications market and our weight loss treatments.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a prescription-only medicine, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. It is used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. Individual results vary. This page is information, not a substitute for medical advice.