The BMI minimum for Wegovy: licensed thresholds, NICE criteria, and what that means for you

What the MHRA licence actually specifies

The MHRA-approved licence for Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg, by Novo Nordisk) sets a BMI minimum of 30 for straightforward obesity, or 27 where at least one weight-related comorbidity is present. Qualifying conditions include high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea and cardiovascular disease, among others. This is the standard that governs private prescriptions, including prescriptions issued through regulated online pharmacies.

It is worth being precise about what that lower threshold means in practice. A BMI of 27 does not by itself open the door. The comorbidity must be clinically documented, and the prescriber (a real person, not automated software) reviews your answers and medical history before deciding whether you meet the licensed criteria. The BMI number is the starting point of the assessment, not the end of it.

You can check your own figure quickly using the NHS BMI calculator, which also provides context on what different ranges mean for adults in the UK. If you want a fuller picture of how BMI is used in the Wegovy assessment process, the BMI for Wegovy page goes into more detail on how that number fits into the wider clinical picture.

NICE's higher bar for NHS prescriptions

The licensed minimum and the NICE-recommended threshold are two distinct things, and conflating them is one of the most common sources of confusion around Wegovy eligibility. NICE's technology appraisal TA875 recommends semaglutide for NHS use only where a patient has a BMI of 35 or above alongside at least one weight-related comorbidity, and only within a specialist weight management service offering multidisciplinary support. The recommendation also caps NHS treatment at a maximum of two years.

For people from South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, those NICE thresholds are adjusted downward by 2.5 kg/m² throughout, so 32.5 instead of 35, and 27.5 instead of 30 at the lower comorbidity-linked band. NHS England applies these adjusted figures in its commissioning guidance.

The practical upshot: someone with a BMI of 31 and well-controlled hypertension meets the licensed minimum for a private prescription but does not meet NICE's NHS threshold. That distinction is why many people turn to private routes. It is also why understanding the BMI required for Wegovy approval through a private versus NHS route is worth separating out clearly before you start.

Where the Wegovy Pill and the 7.2 mg pen fit in

Two newer additions complicate the picture slightly. The MHRA approved a dedicated 7.2 mg Wegovy pen in April 2026, for adults with a BMI of 30 or above only, with that higher dose available as a maintenance option after titration from 0.25 mg. The lower comorbidity-linked threshold of 27 does not apply to the 7.2 mg pen.

Then there is the Wegovy tablet, approved by the MHRA on 11 June 2026 as the first oral GLP-1 medicine licensed in the UK for weight management. Its licence mirrors the injection's: BMI 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with a qualifying condition. The tablet's titration schedule is different (starting at 1.5 mg daily and working up to a 25 mg maintenance dose) but the BMI minimum is the same as for the injection. If you are weighing up the injection against the tablet, the Wegovy overview page covers both formats alongside the clinical evidence.

A note on cost context: private Wegovy pricing varies by dose and provider, and the weight-loss treatment page gives a clear overview of the options available through a regulated UK pharmacy, with no hidden fees and no subscription.

What happens if your BMI sits close to the minimum

BMI of exactly 27, 28 or 29 tends to prompt the most questions, and fairly so. At those figures, the eligibility decision rests entirely on whether a qualifying comorbidity is present and adequately documented. Prediabetes, diagnosed obstructive sleep apnoea, or a formal hypertension diagnosis can each be enough, but the prescriber needs to see evidence of the condition, not just a self-reported history.

It is also worth knowing that BMI thresholds for lower body-weight ranges have a separate page: BMI 25 and Wegovy addresses the position for people who fall below the 27 threshold, where the honest answer is that neither the licensed minimum nor NICE criteria are met for weight management, and the prescriber cannot legally issue a Wegovy prescription for that indication.

Similarly, if your BMI is 26, the BMI 26 and Wegovy page explains the position clearly. For a BMI of exactly 30, the Wegovy at BMI 30 page sets out what to expect from the assessment at that precise threshold. Meeting the minimum BMI for Wegovy is the first clinical gate. The consultation is where everything else is worked through. Speak to our prescribers to find out where you stand.