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Mounjaro and Wegovy on the NHS: who can get them

Two GLP-1 medicines are licensed for weight management in the UK. This is how NICE guidance decides who can get them on the NHS, how the tirzepatide rollout works, and which safety warnings the MHRA has issued.

By the RetaRadar team · Updated 30 September 2026

Semaglutide (sold for weight management as Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro) are prescription-only medicines. Both are licensed by the MHRA. Whether the NHS pays for them depends on guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and on local commissioning. Retatrutide, the drug our ratings cover, is not licensed and is not available on the NHS; see retatrutide explained.

Wegovy (semaglutide): NICE TA875

NICE published technology appraisal TA875 on 8 March 2023 (NICE TA875). The main conditions:

  • It is used within specialist weight-management services, not prescribed routinely by GPs.
  • Treatment is limited to a maximum of two years.
  • It is generally for adults with a BMI of at least 35 and at least one weight-related condition. The guidance sets out further detail on thresholds.

Mounjaro (tirzepatide): NICE TA1026

The MHRA authorised tirzepatide for weight management on 8 November 2023 (MHRA). NICE's appraisal TA1026 followed on 23 December 2024 (NICE TA1026). It recommends tirzepatide for adults with a BMI of at least 35 and at least one weight-related condition, with lower BMI thresholds for some ethnic groups at higher risk at lower weights.

The primary care rollout

Unlike Wegovy, tirzepatide can be prescribed in primary care. Because the eligible group is so large, NHS England phased the rollout, which began on 23 June 2025. About 220,000 people are expected to be treated over the first three years (NHS England interim commissioning guidance).

The first group prioritised was adults with a BMI of 40 or more and at least four of five named weight-related conditions, according to local NHS guidance such as NHS Gloucestershire's. Later phases lower these thresholds. The exact route depends on your integrated care board, so your GP practice is the place to ask.

Safety warnings from the MHRA

Pancreatitis

In January 2026 the MHRA strengthened warnings about acute pancreatitis with GLP-1 and dual GLP-1/GIP medicines, including necrotising and fatal cases. It had received 1,296 Yellow Card reports of pancreatitis between 2007 and October 2025, including 19 deaths (MHRA Drug Safety Update, 29 January 2026). The MHRA is also studying genetic risk factors through its Yellow Card Biobank.

Contraception and pregnancy

In June 2025 the MHRA reminded women taking these medicines to use effective contraception, and warned that tirzepatide may make oral contraceptives less effective in some circumstances (MHRA, 5 June 2025).

A plain-English guide

The MHRA publishes a public guide, GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know.

Private prescriptions

Many people who do not yet qualify on the NHS get these medicines on private prescription from online pharmacies. A legitimate service will ask about your health, may ask for proof of weight, and will be a GPhC-registered pharmacy. Our guide to fake and unlicensed weight-loss jabs explains how to check.

Sources

  • NICE technology appraisals TA875 (2023) and TA1026 (2024).
  • NHS England, interim commissioning guidance for tirzepatide (2025).
  • MHRA announcements and Drug Safety Update, 2023–2026, all linked above.