
Mounjaro Injections
Lose up to 22.5% or more starting weight
from £139.00
Not everyone feels they’re able to pay full price for weight loss injections. Many people want to know if they can get Ozempic for weight loss on the NHS and only pay NHS prescription charges.
Ozempic is a medication available on the NHS for people who have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes but it is not licensed for use as a weight loss treatment.
However, there is an alternative medication available called Wegovy, which contains the same active ingredient as Ozempic and is licensed for weight loss in the UK. Find out if the NHS will prescribe Wegovy to you as a weight loss treatment.
Medically reviewed by
Dr Brenda IkejiLast reviewed: 20 Jan 2025
Yes, you can get Ozempic on the NHS for type 2 diabetes. However, it is not available on the NHS for weight loss. Although it has the same active ingredient (semaglutide) as the weight loss injection Wegovy, Ozempic is only licensed for managing your blood sugar level and has a different dosage.
The semaglutide active ingredient in Ozempic is available on the NHS for weight loss as Wegovy. You may be able to get Wegovy treatment on the NHS if you have been referred to an NHS specialist weight management service.
You can also get Wegovy from ZAVA. Our process is fast and easy and you won’t need to wait for a GP appointment or referral.
Yes. You can get Ozempic for free on the NHS in England if you are prescribed it to manage type 2 diabetes. If you are under 60 years old, you will need to get a medical exemption certificate to get Ozempic for free. Prescriptions are free of charge for everybody in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
If you are under 60, live in England and have type 2 diabetes but do not have a medical exemption certificate you will have to pay the standard NHS prescription charge for Ozempic, which is currently £9.90.
You can obtain a medical exemption certificate from your GP. You’ll need to get a form called FP92A from your doctor’s surgery, then fill it in and give it to your doctor to sign. Whilst you’re waiting for approval, you can ask for an FP57 receipt with any diabetes-related prescriptions. You can use your FP57 receipts to claim the money back when the medical exemption certificate is issued.
You may be able to get Wegovy (with the same active ingredient as Ozempic) for weight loss for free on the NHS, if you qualify for an NHS prescription and you don’t normally pay for your prescriptions. If you normally pay for NHS prescriptions, you will have to pay the standard NHS prescription charge for Wegovy, which is currently £9.90.
If you get a private prescription for Wegovy from an NHS doctor or private healthcare service you will have to pay full price for your medication.
If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you may be able to get Ozempic on the NHS by speaking to your GP. It is not usually prescribed until you have tried other treatments and changes to your diet and level of exercise.
The first line treatments for type 2 diabetes are metformin or other tablets which help lower your blood sugar. If these aren’t suitable for you or cause severe side effects, you may be offered alternatives such as Ozempic.
You can get another drug for weight loss called Wegovy which has the same active ingredient as Ozempic. It is available on the NHS for people who have been referred to a specialist weight management service. You can speak to your GP about getting referred if you:
If you are from a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, African-Caribbean, Black African, or Middle Eastern ethnic background, the BMI you need to be eligible for a referral is 2.5kg/m2 less.
Ozempic is not suitable for everyone. It may not be suitable for you if you:
Always consult a healthcare professional before taking new medication to ensure it is suitable for you.
Wegovy and liraglutide are the only two weight loss injections you can currently get on the NHS. They both work by slowing down digestion, reducing your appetite and making you feel fuller for longer. Liraglutide has recently become available to replace Saxenda which is long-term out of stock. You can normally only get prescribed if you are under the care of an NHS specialist weight management service.
However, some pharmacists and GPs are currently getting special training in some parts of the UK to be able to prescribe them. Speak to your GP or pharmacist to find out if it is an option available for you.
Another weight loss injection called Mounjaro is expected to get approved for NHS use in the future. It also works by slowing digestion and making you less hungry. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), who make decisions on medicines in the UK, published a draft decision in December 2024 recommending tirzepatide (the active ingredient in Mounjaro) as a weight loss treatment. To begin with, it will be prescribed to people with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more and at least 1 weight-related health condition. However, it could take a long time for it to be available on the NHS nationwide.
However, you can already request Mounjaro treatment online from online doctor services like ZAVA.
You can get Ozempic from some online doctor services for type 2 diabetes. Some private online services have been offering it as a weight-loss treatment. This is called off-label prescribing. However, Ozempic is not recommended as a weight loss treatment, so it should only be used for type 2 diabetes.
Please note at ZAVA we do not prescribe Ozempic for diabetes or weight loss, but we do offer Wegovy for weight loss, which has the same active ingredient. If you have a BMI of over 30, or over 27 if you have a weight-related health problem, you may be able to request weight loss injections online. You can calculate your BMI using our BMI calculator.
ZAVA’s online doctor service is fully regulated, safe, and secure. It is just as effective as NHS treatment, only more convenient. You do not need to attend a face-to-face appointment and treatments are discreetly delivered to your door. We can also prescribe you Wegovy with a BMI of 27 and above (if you have a weight-related health condition), whereas the NHS may require 35 and above.
“Be cautious of unregulated services offering weight loss medications. These substances could be counterfeit or you may be prescribed treatment unsafely. You should only use medication for its intended purpose. For instance, Ozempic is for type 2 diabetes not for weight loss. If you need a weight loss treatment, ZAVA can prescribe you with an effective and appropriate treatment, such as Wegovy, if it is safe and suitable for you.” – Dr Brenda Ikeji, Medical Editor.
Brenda studied medicine at St Georges University of London and has most recently worked in John Radcliffe Oxford University Hospitals, covering acute and general medicine.
Last reviewed: 20 Jan 2025
Semaglutide, BNF [accessed 30 December 2024]
Type 2 diabetes, NHS [accessed 30 December 2024]
Semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity, NICE [accessed 30 December 2024]
Understanding medicine for type 2 diabetes, NHS [accessed 30 December 2024]
Accessing Wegovy for weight loss, GOV.UK [accessed 30 December 2024]
Metformin, NHS [accessed 30 December 2024]
Treatment for obesity, NHS [accessed 30 December 2024]
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