The Wegovy strengths available in the UK — and what each one means for your treatment

You've been told you'll start on 0.25 mg, here's why that pen isn't the 'weak' one

A lot of people come to us having read about 2.4 mg weight-loss results and feel deflated when they hear their first pen contains 0.25 mg. It's a completely understandable reaction. But the starter strength exists for a specific reason: semaglutide slows gastric emptying and acts on the brain's appetite centres in ways that, introduced too quickly, cause significant nausea and vomiting. The 0.25 mg dose gives your system roughly four weeks to adapt before any meaningful therapeutic effect is expected.

After that first month, the standard schedule steps to 0.5 mg, then 1.0 mg, then 1.7 mg, with each level typically held for around four weeks. Prescribers can hold a step longer if side effects need time to settle, the timeline is a guide, not a countdown. Some people find they do well at 1.7 mg and stay there; others move to 2.4 mg as the standard maintenance dose. If you want to understand how each pen fits into the overall programme, our page on what the Wegovy strengths actually are explains the purpose each one serves. You can read more about how Wegovy's dose schedule works in practice if you want the fuller picture of what each step involves.

What doesn't change across any of these strengths is the delivery mechanism: a pre-filled, once-weekly pen injected under the skin of the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm, with sites rotated each time. The pen format is the same at every strength; only the cartridge inside differs.

The 7.2 mg pen: what the MHRA approval actually means

On 14 April 2026 the MHRA approved a dedicated single-dose 7.2 mg Wegovy pen, one pre-set weekly injection with a covered needle that locks after use. This followed an earlier approval in January 2026 of the 7.2 mg dose itself, initially delivered as three 2.4 mg pens per week. The single pen makes that higher dose considerably more practical.

There are some important limits to note. The 7.2 mg approval covers adults with a BMI of 30 or above for weight management, it is not licensed at that strength for the cardiovascular indication, and it is not for people whose BMI sits below 30. You still start at 0.25 mg and titrate up through the standard schedule; 7.2 mg is a further step beyond 2.4 mg for those whose prescriber decides it is appropriate, not a shortcut. Clinical trial data at this higher dose reported an average weight loss of around 20.7% over 72 weeks, which begins to close the gap with tirzepatide's trial results. The official announcement is on GOV.UK. Whether this higher strength is available and right for you is confirmed at consultation, never assume availability of a specific pen format before speaking to a prescriber.

For more detail on when this option is expected to be more widely accessible, the page on Wegovy 7.2 mg availability in the UK covers what's currently known.

Eligibility across the strength range (and what a clinical assessment actually looks at

Wegovy's UK licence covers adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 29.9 alongside at least one weight-related condition) conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or obstructive sleep apnoea. For some ethnic backgrounds, the UK applies thresholds around 2.5 kg/m² lower than the headline figures, in line with guidance on obesity risk in those populations.

Meeting the BMI figure is a starting point, not a guarantee. A prescriber also considers your medical history, current medicines, and whether there are any contraindications, a history of pancreatitis, for instance, or certain thyroid conditions, would need careful discussion. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and trying to conceive are situations where Wegovy is not recommended, and it is not licensed for anyone under 18.

If you are already on treatment elsewhere and looking to continue, the Wegovy treatment overview explains what transfer patients need to provide. If weight loss stalls at a given strength, that isn't automatically a cue to push the dose higher, it's a conversation with your prescriber, who can weigh the clinical picture. Some people do find that plateauing at 2.4 mg prompts a review of lifestyle factors rather than a dose change; others benefit from stepping to 7.2 mg, and our page covering the Wegovy doses available to patients sets out which options a prescriber can currently offer. There is no universal answer, which is exactly why the dose-adjustment decision sits with the clinician and not with the patient alone.

For context on what private treatment costs across the strength range, the Wegovy cost page sets out what an honest price should include. When you're ready to see whether Wegovy is suitable for you, check your eligibility with our prescribers, the consultation is free, and a real clinician reviews your answers the same day, not a piece of software that rubber-stamps responses at midnight.