What qualifying BMI for Wegovy looks like in practice

Step 1, Find your BMI and see where you sit relative to the licensed thresholds

BMI, or body mass index, is calculated from your height and weight. The NHS BMI calculator gives you a number in seconds and tells you which range you fall into. For Wegovy, the UK marketing authorisation sets two entry points: a BMI at or above 30 for people with no additional conditions, and a BMI at or above 27 for people who have at least one weight-related comorbidity, for instance, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnoea or a cardiovascular condition.

These numbers come directly from the medicine's UK licence, and they apply to the private prescribing route. If you want to understand exactly what BMI you need to qualify for Wegovy, our dedicated guide walks through each threshold in detail. A prescriber will also look at your full health history before any decision is made.

One detail that surprises many people: for certain ethnic backgrounds, UK clinical guidance recognises that health risks from excess weight can appear at a lower BMI. The adjustment is 2.5 kg/m², so in practice, someone from a South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean background may qualify at a BMI of 27.5 rather than 30, or at 24.5 rather than 27. This is not a workaround; it reflects the evidence base that NICE and NHS England have built into UK weight management guidance.

Step 2, Understand the weight-related conditions that lower the threshold to BMI 27

If your BMI sits between 27 and 29.9, qualifying depends on whether you have at least one comorbidity that Wegovy's licence recognises as weight-related. The kinds of conditions that typically count include type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia (raised triglycerides or cholesterol), obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease and (in some clinical contexts) prediabetes or osteoarthritis linked to weight. You do not need to have all of them, or even several. One qualifying condition alongside a BMI of 27 is sufficient to bring you within the licensed scope.

What matters is that the condition is documented and verifiable. A prescriber may ask to see recent results, a GP letter or a current prescription for a relevant medicine. This is normal clinical practice, not bureaucracy for its own sake, it protects you as much as it satisfies the regulatory framework. If you are unsure whether your health history qualifies, the full list of conditions that count is a useful reference before you start a consultation.

It is also worth knowing that Wegovy operates under a Black Triangle (▼) designation in the UK, meaning the MHRA is collecting additional safety data. That does not change your eligibility, but it is why the monitoring and review built into legitimate services matters. Our clinical team takes that duty seriously on every repeat order.

Step 3, Know how NHS eligibility differs from private prescribing

The private licence thresholds above are distinct from what the NHS applies. NICE's appraisal of Wegovy (technology appraisal TA875) recommends semaglutide only within specialist weight management services, for a maximum of two years, for adults with a BMI of 35 or above and at least one weight-related comorbidity. Lower thresholds apply for some ethnic backgrounds here too. In practice, NHS waiting lists for these specialist services can be very long, and not every area has capacity.

For people who do not meet NHS criteria yet, or who would rather not wait, private prescribing through a regulated online pharmacy is the alternative. The licensed BMI thresholds described in steps 1 and 2 are what apply on that route. Understanding the cost context is a reasonable next step, and our guide to Wegovy pricing in the UK sets out what private treatment typically involves financially.

Whatever route you take, the process should include identity checks, a verified weight measurement and a prescriber who reviews your answers personally. At nume, a real clinician reads every consultation, not an automated system. Once approved, your treatment is sent out the same day in plain, unbranded DPD packaging, with a tracking link so you know exactly when to expect it.

Step 4, What the prescriber actually assesses beyond BMI

BMI gets you through the door. What happens next is a clinical review that looks at the whole person. Prescribers consider your age, your medical history, any medicines you currently take (including oral contraceptives, there is relevant guidance for tirzepatide users specifically, though semaglutide has a different profile in this regard), kidney and liver function, and any history of conditions that would make Wegovy unsuitable. A personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2, for instance, is a contraindication. So is pregnancy, and Wegovy is not recommended for anyone who is breastfeeding or actively trying to conceive.

People sometimes ask whether their GP needs to be told. The answer is yes, and a responsible prescribing service will notify your GP in line with GPhC guidance, not as a formality, but because your GP holds information that affects whether treatment is safe for you. None of this is meant to put people off. It is the clinical infrastructure that makes treatment safer. If you want to check whether your situation fits, the eligibility checker is a straightforward place to start, or you can read more about Wegovy before deciding. When you are ready, our prescribers are available seven days a week. Speak to our prescribers through a free consultation and get a clear answer based on your actual circumstances.