Weight Loss Injection Eligibility in the UK: Who Can Get Them? (November 2026)

01 · Private criteria

Who can get weight loss injections privately?

Mounjaro is licensed for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.³ Wegovy has the same BMI criteria.⁶ Both are used alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity.

02 · Next step

Checking if treatment is right for you

Start the free consultation from our Mounjaro or Wegovy page. You answer questions about your health, weight and medicines, and a GPhC-registered prescriber reviews them. If treatment is not suitable, you get an automatic full refund. Mounjaro and Wegovy are prescription-only medicines, supplied only after an online consultation reviewed by a GPhC-registered prescriber. This page is information, not a substitute for medical advice.

03 · Working out your BMI

Working out your BMI

Body mass index (BMI) is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres squared. For example, someone who weighs 95kg and is 1.70m tall has a BMI of about 32.9. BMI is a screening measure, not a full picture of health, and the prescriber looks at your answers as a whole.

For people from some ethnic backgrounds, including South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African and African-Caribbean backgrounds, NICE uses lower BMI thresholds, because health risks rise at a lower BMI.¹

04 · NHS criteria

Who can get weight loss injections on the NHS?

NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 plus at least one weight-related condition, and the NHS primary-care rollout began in June 2025 with the highest-need groups first, initially BMI 40+ with four or more qualifying conditions.¹² Mounjaro is available on the NHS, but access is being phased in over several years, so many people who meet the NICE criteria are not yet able to get it.

If you think you may qualify, speak to your GP. On the NHS you pay the standard prescription charge in England, and prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

05 · Who should not use them

Who should not use weight loss injections

• Under 18s: these medicines are licensed for weight management in adults.
• Pregnancy: Mounjaro should not be used in pregnancy. Tell the prescriber if you are pregnant, trying to conceive or breastfeeding.
• Allergy: anyone allergic to the medicine or its ingredients.

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.³ Always give full, accurate answers in your consultation, including every medicine you take.

06 · Contraception

If you use the contraceptive pill

Mounjaro slows stomach emptying, which can reduce how well oral contraceptive pills are absorbed.⁴ Use a barrier method or switch to a non-oral method for four weeks after starting and for four weeks after each dose increase.³

07 · Other medicines

Other medicines and conditions

If you take insulin or a sulfonylurea for diabetes, the prescriber may need to adjust your treatment, because the risk of low blood sugar is higher.³ Never take two weight-loss medicines of this type together. If you already take Mounjaro or Wegovy from another provider, tell us your current dose and when you last injected.

08 · Which injection

Which injection might suit you?

If you are eligible, the main choice is between Mounjaro and Wegovy. In the head-to-head SURMOUNT-5 trial, tirzepatide gave 20.2% average weight loss over 72 weeks versus 13.7% for semaglutide 2.4mg.⁵ Wegovy is usually cheaper. If you would rather not inject, Wegovy tablets and Foundayo are licensed GLP-1 tablets. Our pages on Mounjaro vs Wegovy, what injections cost and the best weight loss pills can help you decide.