The BMI threshold to take Wegovy — and what else the prescriber looks at

You've looked up your BMI and it's above 30, here's what comes next

Finding that your BMI clears the basic threshold is a reasonable first step, but it tells you less than you might expect. Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4mg, made by Novo Nordisk) is licensed in the UK for adults with a BMI at or above 30, or from 27 upwards if a weight-related health condition is present. Our full Wegovy overview explains what the medicine is, how it works, and what the clinical trials found, worth reading before your consultation.

The 27-plus route matters more than people realise. Conditions that qualify include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea, and cardiovascular disease, among others. So a BMI of 28 with a hypertension diagnosis puts you squarely within the licensed indication. A BMI of 31 with no relevant conditions also qualifies. Neither automatically leads to a prescription, the prescriber's job is to weigh all of it, not just the number.

If your background is South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean, UK clinical guidance recognises that health risks associated with excess weight tend to appear at lower BMI values. The standard thresholds are reduced by 2.5 kg/m² for these groups, meaning 27.5 (rather than 30) becomes the baseline, and 24.5 (rather than 27) applies where a qualifying condition is present. More on how BMI is used in Wegovy eligibility sets out these adjustments in full.

One practical note: if you are unsure of your current BMI, the NHS BMI calculator is a quick, straightforward tool to check before you start a consultation.

What 'BMI 30 for Wegovy on the NHS' actually involves, it's not the same route

The licensed threshold and the NHS access threshold are different things, and conflating them leads to a lot of frustration. Wegovy at BMI 30 on the NHS explores this in detail, but the short version is this: NICE's recommendation for semaglutide (TA875) applies specifically within specialist weight management services, for a maximum of two years, and in practice most NHS pathways require a higher BMI combined with multiple comorbidities and a referral from your GP. Waiting lists for specialist services are commonly long.

The licensed indication (BMI 30, or 27 with a qualifying condition) is what governs private prescribing through a regulated pharmacy. That route involves no waiting list and no GP referral, but it does require a proper clinical assessment. Saving money by skipping that assessment is not a trade-off worth making for a Prescription-Only Medicine. Wegovy is not available over the counter, and any seller offering it without a clinical assessment is operating outside the law.

For context on what a private prescription typically costs, a UK price comparison for Wegovy sets out what the market looks like and what a legitimate price should include.

The BMI check is step one, this is what the prescriber actually assesses

Picture the consultation: you've entered your height and weight, your BMI clears 30, and the form moves on. What happens next is the clinically important part. A prescriber (a real person with a GPhC registration, not an automated system) reads your answers and looks at several things the BMI number cannot capture.

They'll consider your medical history, particularly any personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2 syndrome, which are contraindications. A history of pancreatitis, certain gastrointestinal conditions, or severe kidney disease will also affect suitability. Your current medicines matter too: semaglutide slows gastric emptying, which can affect how other drugs are absorbed. Women taking oral contraceptives should be aware of this, and a prescriber will flag it.

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and trying to conceive are all situations where Wegovy is not recommended. The licence also does not extend to under-18s. These aren't bureaucratic hurdles, they reflect genuine clinical risk. The prescriber's assessment protects you from those risks, which is exactly what a prescriber is there to do.

At nume, that review happens the same day. Once it's completed and approved, your prescription is dispatched, your pen arrives via DPD the next working day in plain, unbranded packaging, with a tracking link so you know exactly when to be in. Check what BMI is needed for Wegovy if you want to revisit the thresholds before booking. When you're ready, you can start your free consultation and a prescriber will take it from there.