Who Is Eligible for Weight Loss Injections in the UK?

BMI thresholds: the number that starts the conversation, not ends it

Both Mounjaro and Wegovy are licensed for adults with a BMI of 30 or above — that is the standard starting point. If your BMI sits between 27 and 29.9, you may still qualify if you have at least one weight-related condition alongside it. The list of qualifying conditions includes type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol (dyslipidaemia), obstructive sleep apnoea, and osteoarthritis, among others. If you are asking whether you would be eligible for weight loss injections, having any one of those conditions alongside a BMI of 27 or above is enough to meet the licensed threshold.

UK guidance also recognises that BMI works differently across ethnic groups. For people from South Asian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, the relevant thresholds are typically 2.5 kg/m² lower. If you are unsure where you stand, the NHS BMI calculator is a useful first check, and our eligibility guide goes through each criterion in detail.

One thing worth being clear about: the BMI threshold describes who the medicine is licensed for, not who will automatically be approved. Every person's case is reviewed individually. A prescriber reads the clinical picture as a whole.

Health conditions that can make someone ineligible

A number of medical histories or current conditions mean weight loss injections are not suitable, and a proper clinical assessment exists precisely to catch these. Pregnancy, breastfeeding and trying to conceive are all contraindications, these medicines are not recommended during any of those stages. Anyone under 18 falls outside the licensed age range.

Certain medical histories also require careful consideration or make treatment inadvisable altogether: a personal or family history of medullary thyroid carcinoma, Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2, a history of acute pancreatitis, and some inflammatory bowel or gastroparesis conditions. Some people are not suitable for weight loss injections at all, and that page sets out the full picture in plain terms.

Your current medicines also matter. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) can reduce how quickly the stomach empties, which affects how some oral medicines are absorbed. Women taking the oral contraceptive pill, for instance, are advised to add a backup method for the first four weeks of treatment and for four weeks after any dose increase, because pill absorption may be reduced. This is one reason why a thorough medicines review is a routine part of any legitimate assessment, not an optional extra.

NHS eligibility versus private eligibility: two different sets of rules

If you are wondering whether you qualify on the NHS, the criteria are stricter and still rolling out in phases. As of mid-2026, NHS tirzepatide is available only through specific pathways tied to BMI thresholds and a minimum number of weight-related conditions, and even meeting those criteria does not guarantee quick access, because places are limited and waiting lists exist. NICE's appraisal of tirzepatide (TA1026) sets out the NHS eligibility criteria in full, and NHS England is implementing them in stages through to 2027.

Private eligibility follows the medicines' licensed criteria instead, which is simpler: BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a qualifying condition, subject to a full clinical assessment. That is the route many people take when they do not meet NHS thresholds, or simply do not want to wait. You can read more about how to meet the eligibility criteria if you are not sure whether your situation qualifies. For a broader look at the weight loss injections available in the UK, that overview covers both medicines side by side.

Cost is a consideration for most people going the private route, and it is worth understanding what a legitimate price actually covers before comparing figures. Our treatment page sets out what is included at nume, one transparent price that covers the consultation, clinical review, prescription, medicine and next-working-day delivery, with aftercare seven days a week.

What the consultation actually looks at

A question our prescribers hear regularly: what actually happens in the assessment? The short answer is that it goes considerably further than a BMI check. Our clinical team reviews each consultation personally, a named prescriber, not software, reads your answers the same day. They look at your weight history, current health conditions, existing medicines, kidney and liver considerations, and anything in your history that could affect how the treatment sits with your body.

Identity is verified with photo ID. Weight is confirmed on video, not taken on trust. That level of rigour protects you: it is how a prescriber can be confident the treatment is both licensed and appropriate for you specifically. If you have been on a weight loss injection elsewhere, transferring to nume is possible, and evidence of your current dose and treatment history will be requested before any supply continues. The eligibility self-check is a good place to start if you want a sense of where you stand before booking a consultation.

If you are ready to find out whether treatment is right for you, check your eligibility with a free consultation, reviewed the same day by a GPhC-registered independent prescriber.