What BMI Is Needed for Wegovy — and What Else Counts

You've looked up your BMI and it reads 29, does that rule Wegovy out?

Not necessarily. Picture this: you check your BMI on the NHS BMI calculator and it comes back at 29.2. Under the standard licensed threshold of 30, that looks like a dead end. But if you also live with a weight-related condition (sleep apnoea, hypertension, raised cholesterol, prediabetes, or osteoarthritis among others) the threshold drops to 27.5. A BMI of 29.2 with one of those conditions clears the bar.

That's the practical checking habit worth doing right now: open the NHS calculator, enter your height and current weight, and note the number. Then ask whether any of your existing health conditions appear on the list above. If the answer is yes, the 27.5 threshold applies to you, and our page on what BMI you need for Wegovy walks through exactly how that works. The whole check takes under a minute. It won't replace a clinical assessment, but it tells you whether the conversation is worth having.

There's a further adjustment built into UK guidance. For adults with South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, the licensed thresholds run 2.5 kg/m² lower, reflecting the increased cardiometabolic risk that can occur at lower body weights in these groups. So the standard threshold becomes 27.5, and the condition-linked threshold becomes 25. If you're unsure which figure applies to you, our guide on what your BMI needs to be for Wegovy breaks it down clearly before you assume you don't qualify.

What the NICE recommendation adds, and why it differs from the private route

When people ask what BMI is needed for Wegovy, they're sometimes conflating two separate eligibility frameworks: the licence and the NICE recommendation. They're not the same thing. The Wegovy SmPC sets the criteria a prescriber must meet to prescribe legally; NICE's appraisal TA875 sets the criteria for NHS funding.

NICE's recommendation is considerably tighter. It requires a BMI of at least 35 (or 32.5 for the ethnic backgrounds listed above), at least one weight-related comorbidity, treatment delivered within a specialist multidisciplinary weight management service, and a maximum treatment duration of two years. If fewer than 5% weight loss is achieved after six months at the maintenance dose, continuing is reviewed. NHS waiting lists for these specialist services can be long, and not every area has accessible provision.

Private treatment through a regulated pharmacy works differently. The prescriber can follow the licensed SmPC criteria directly, and our page on BMI for Wegovy explains how those criteria translate in practice. You can read more about how the two routes compare on our Wegovy overview page. The private route doesn't skip clinical assessment, it changes where that assessment happens and how quickly.

BMI is the threshold; your history is the gate

Meeting the BMI figure gets you through the door of eligibility. What happens next is a full clinical review. Prescribers look at things BMI doesn't capture: your personal and family medical history, any medicines you're currently taking, contraindications listed in the product licence, and whether the expected benefit outweighs any individual risk.

There are conditions where Wegovy is not used: pregnancy, breastfeeding, or if you're actively trying to conceive. It isn't licensed for under-18s. A history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 is a contraindication. Certain gastrointestinal conditions require careful discussion. None of this is unusual for a prescription medicine, it's how clinically safe prescribing works.

If you're already on treatment elsewhere and considering moving to a different provider, having documentation of your current dose and titration history is useful. Our clinical team reviews transfer patients thoroughly before any repeat prescription is issued. For a broader look at the treatment options available, our weight-loss page covers the landscape.

Private eligibility at nume (what the process actually involves

At nume, the consultation is free, and every response is reviewed personally by a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber) a real clinician, not automated software, the same day you submit it. You'll be asked for photo ID and live weight verification by video, so the BMI figure used in your assessment reflects your actual current weight rather than an estimate. If you want to confirm the figures before you begin, our pages on what BMI you need to get Wegovy and what BMI you need to qualify for Wegovy set out the thresholds in plain terms.

If you meet the clinical criteria and are approved, treatment is dispatched the same day for orders placed before 12pm on a weekday, arriving free via tracked DPD the next working day. Packaging is plain and unbranded. There are no subscription arrangements; every repeat order goes through a fresh clinical review. Aftercare is available seven days a week. Our FAQs page covers the most common questions about what to expect after you start.

The single transparent price covers the consultation, prescription, treatment and delivery, details are on the treatment page, where you can also check what's currently available. If you think you're in range and want a prescriber to assess your full picture, starting there is the straightforward next step.