Guides / GLP-1 dosing
Can you get Wegovy or Mounjaro on the NHS?
Yes, if you meet NICE's criteria, but the routes differ. Wegovy goes through specialist weight services, and Mounjaro is being opened up in GP surgeries group by group.
[00] Short answer
- Wegovy (semaglutide): NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 and at least 1 weight-related condition (or 30 to 34.9 if they meet specialist referral criteria), only within a specialist weight management service and for up to 2 years1.
- Mounjaro (tirzepatide): NICE recommends it for adults with a BMI of at least 35 and at least 1 weight-related condition, in primary care or specialist services2.
- Mounjaro is being rolled out in phases over about 3 years. The first group was people with a BMI of 40 or more and 4 or more of 5 listed conditions2.
- BMI thresholds are usually 2.5 lower for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds1–2.
Who can get Wegovy or Mounjaro for weight loss on the NHS?
In England, NICE recommends Wegovy (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) for adults with a BMI of at least 35 and at least one weight-related health condition, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity1–2. Wegovy can also be used at a BMI of 30 to 34.9 for people who meet NICE's criteria for referral to a specialist weight service1. The big differences are where you get it and how long for.
| Wegovy (semaglutide), TA875 | Mounjaro (tirzepatide), TA1026 | |
|---|---|---|
| BMI | At least 35, or 30 to 34.9 if you meet the criteria for referral to specialist services1 | At least 35 at the start2 |
| Health conditions | At least 1 weight-related condition1 | At least 1 weight-related condition2 |
| Lower BMI for some groups | Usually 2.5 lower for South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean family backgrounds1 | Same 2.5 reduction2 |
| Where it's prescribed | Only within a specialist weight management service (including tiers 3 and 4)1 | Primary care (GP services) or specialist weight management services2 |
| How long | A maximum of 2 years1 | No time limit is set in the recommendation2 |
| Review point | Consider stopping if less than 5% of starting weight is lost after 6 months1 | If less than 5% is lost after 6 months on the highest tolerated dose, decide whether to continue2 |
Both recommendations also depend on the company supplying the medicine under a commercial arrangement with the NHS1–2. People who started on the NHS before the guidance was published can carry on1–2.
nhs.uk says you'll usually only be prescribed these medicines for weight loss if your BMI meets the eligibility criteria, and that the criteria for tirzepatide depend on whether you get it through your doctor or a specialist service5–6.
When can you get Mounjaro from your GP? The phased rollout
Mounjaro is reaching GP surgeries in stages, starting with the people with the highest need. NICE's summary of NHS England's interim commissioning guidance bases each stage on your BMI and how many of these 5 conditions you have: high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia), obstructive sleep apnoea, heart and circulation disease, and type 2 diabetes2.
| Group | When | BMI | Number of the 5 listed conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | From the start of the rollout | 40 or more | 4 or more |
| 2 | From around June 2026 | 35 to 39.9 | 4 or more |
| 3 | From around March 2027 | 40 or more | 3 |
For people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, the qualifying BMIs are 2.5 lower, for example 37.5 instead of 402.
NICE accepted NHS England's request for extra time. Its implementation section says the first phase lasts up to 3 years and aims to reach around 220,000 people, with a maximum of 12 years to reach everyone eligible3. People already in specialist weight services had to have access within 3 months of the guidance, and the GP rollout had to start within 6 months3. TA1026 was published on 23 December 20242.
What is a specialist weight management service?
A specialist weight management service is a team-based NHS service for more complex obesity, often called tier 3 or tier 4. NICE's TA875 says Wegovy must be used within one of these services, providing multidisciplinary care1.
NICE's obesity guideline says to consider referral to specialist services if4:
- the underlying causes of the weight need to be assessed
- you have complex conditions or needs that less specialist services can't manage
- less intensive support hasn't worked
- specialist options such as a very-low-calorie diet may be needed
- surgery or certain medicines are being considered.
Referral usually comes from your GP. nhs.uk says that if you need support to lose weight, your doctor will refer you to a specialist weight management service for semaglutide6.
Do you have to stop Wegovy on the NHS after 2 years?
NICE's recommendation for Wegovy is for a maximum of 2 years1. NICE's reasoning says semaglutide belongs alongside the support in specialist weight services, which the NHS offers for a limited time, because that matches how it was used in the clinical trials1. The Mounjaro recommendation doesn't set a maximum length2.
Both have a 6-month check. For Wegovy, NICE says to consider stopping if less than 5% of starting weight has been lost after 6 months. For Mounjaro, the 6 months count from reaching the highest dose you can tolerate1–2. nhs.uk says you should be offered support to stay at a healthy weight after you stop5.
If you're worried about what happens to your weight after stopping, see restarting a GLP-1 after a break and GLP-1 weight loss plateaus.
What about Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and private prescriptions?
This page covers England, where NICE's technology appraisals set what the NHS must fund. For Wales, TA875 says Welsh ministers have directed the NHS in Wales to usually fund a NICE-recommended treatment within 2 months7. We haven't sourced the rules in Scotland or Northern Ireland here, so ask your GP or local health board.
Many people pay privately instead. nhs.uk says that if you get a private prescription, buy from a registered pharmacy, because some websites sell fake weight loss medicines5–6. UK pen sizes and doses are in Mounjaro pen doses in the UK.
Questions
What BMI do you need for Mounjaro on the NHS?
NICE recommends it from a BMI of 35 with at least one weight-related condition, usually lowered to 32.5 for people from some ethnic backgrounds. In GP surgeries it is being rolled out in phases, starting with a BMI of 40 or more and 4 or more of 5 listed conditions.
Can my GP prescribe Wegovy for weight loss?
Not under NICE's recommendation. TA875 says Wegovy should be used within a specialist weight management service. Your GP can refer you if you meet the criteria.
Which health conditions count for the Mounjaro rollout?
NICE's summary of NHS England's guidance lists 5: high blood pressure, dyslipidaemia (abnormal blood fats), obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. How many you have decides which phase you're in.
Is there a time limit on NHS Mounjaro?
NICE's tirzepatide recommendation doesn't set one. It says that if less than 5% of starting weight has been lost after 6 months on the highest tolerated dose, you and your clinician decide whether to continue. Wegovy is recommended for a maximum of 2 years.
I started Wegovy or Mounjaro on the NHS before the guidance. Will I be stopped?
Both NICE appraisals say the recommendations aren't meant to affect NHS treatment that started before the guidance was published. You can continue until you and your NHS clinician decide to stop.
Sources
Checked against NICE technology appraisals TA875 (semaglutide) and TA1026 (tirzepatide), NICE guideline NG246, and the nhs.uk obesity treatment and medicines pages (reviewed 2026). How we check
- 1NICE TA875: Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity, section 1 (Recommendations). published 8 March 2023, last updated 4 September 2023
- 2NICE TA1026: Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity, section 1 (Recommendations and 'What this means in practice'). published 23 December 2024, last updated 1 September 2025
- 3NICE TA1026, section 4 (Implementation), paragraphs 4.8 and 4.9. accessed 8 Nov 2026
- 4NICE NG246: Overweight and obesity management, recommendation 1.11.13. accessed 8 Nov 2026
- 5NHS: Obesity, treatment. page last reviewed 29 April 2026
- 6NHS: Semaglutide, and NHS: Tirzepatide (medicines A to Z). both pages last reviewed 15 May 2026; tirzepatide page at nhs.uk/medicines/tirzepatide
- 7NICE TA875, section 4 (Implementation), paragraph 4.2. accessed 8 Nov 2026
This guide explains what labels and published studies say. It isn't medical advice and doesn't replace your prescriber or pharmacist.
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? Tell us. We aim to fix factual errors within two working days.
Read next
- Mounjaro vs ZepboundSame medicine, same doses, same pens and vials. The difference is what each one is approved for, and in the UK there's only Mounjaro.
- Wegovy vs ZepboundOne is semaglutide, the other tirzepatide, and one trial has put them side by side.
- Mounjaro pen doses in the UKEvery UK Mounjaro pen gives 4 fixed doses, and the liquid left at the end isn't a 5th.