Can Anyone Get Weight Loss Injections in the UK?

What the licensed criteria actually say

The straightforward answer to this question starts with the licensed indications, because that is what prescribers work from. Mounjaro is licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of at least 27 alongside a condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea or cardiovascular disease. Wegovy shares the same thresholds. NHS guidance on tirzepatide sets this out clearly for patients.

A BMI figure on its own only takes you so far. Prescribers also consider your medical history, any current medicines that might interact, and conditions that would make these treatments unsuitable, a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma or MEN2, for example, or a history of pancreatitis. The licence criteria are a filter, not a green light.

Lower BMI thresholds apply for certain ethnic backgrounds. NICE guidance for tirzepatide (TA1026) sets the qualifying BMI 2.5 kg/m² lower for South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean adults, recognising that metabolic risk presents differently across populations. If you fall just below the standard figure, this adjustment may be relevant to your assessment. Check your own BMI in under a minute using the NHS BMI calculator as a first reference point before your consultation.

Groups for whom these medicines are not suitable

Several groups are clearly excluded regardless of BMI. Anyone who is pregnant, breastfeeding or actively trying to conceive should not take these medicines. The MHRA advises using effective contraception throughout treatment and for a wash-out period before attempting conception. For women on the pill who start tirzepatide, there is an added consideration: oral contraceptive absorption may be affected during the first four weeks of treatment and for four weeks after each dose increase, so an additional non-oral method is recommended during those windows.

Under-18s are not covered by the current UK licences. People with a personal or close family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2 syndrome are also excluded. Severe gastrointestinal conditions require careful prescriber discussion before starting.

This is not a list designed to catch people out. It reflects the fact that who can get weight loss injections is genuinely a clinical question, and a good prescriber is the right person to answer it for your situation. If a previous medical team has assessed you, a transfer to a private provider still involves a fresh clinical review, evidence of your current treatment and dose will be requested.

How the NHS and private routes differ on eligibility

The NHS has introduced a phased rollout for Mounjaro on prescription. As of June 2025, the NHS covers adults with a BMI of 40 or above who have four or more of five qualifying conditions (type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnoea and cardiovascular disease). A second cohort, for BMI 35 to 39.9 with four or more of the same conditions, opened in June 2026. Further expansion is planned into 2027. Wegovy is available through specialist weight management services under NICE guidance TA875, though waiting times through those services are often substantial.

Private prescription services like nume operate outside those waiting lists. The clinical eligibility criteria remain the same (prescribers follow the licensed thresholds) but there is no queue, no GP referral and no requirement to meet the NHS's specific phased criteria. A private assessment considers the same medical picture, completed the same day by a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber. If you want to understand what the costs involved typically look like, our guide to injection costs explains what a legitimate private price includes. For many people, the honest question is not just "can I get it" but "which route makes sense for me", and that is exactly the kind of thing the free consultation is there to answer.

What the clinical review at nume actually checks

Every consultation at nume is read by a named prescriber (a person, not software) before the same working day is out. The review covers your BMI (verified on video, not taken on trust), photo ID, any medicines you currently take, relevant health history and the specific contraindications for whichever treatment you are enquiring about. Our clinical team follows the same prescribing standards as any NHS clinician.

If you are approved, treatment is dispatched the same day provided your consultation arrives before 12pm Monday to Friday, and delivered the next working day by DPD in plain, unbranded packaging. If the prescriber has questions or needs more information, they will contact you, no prescription is issued until they are satisfied it is clinically appropriate. You can read more about what the full assessment involves on our requirements for weight loss injections page. If you have a specific situation you want to talk through first, the contact page is there for exactly that.

These are serious medicines that work. The eligibility criteria exist to protect the people using them. Start your free consultation to find out whether you qualify.