Coming off

Weight-loss jab prices in the UK: what's changed and what you can do

By the Steadie team · Updated 9 October 2026 · 3 minute read

The short version

Eli Lilly raised the UK list price of Mounjaro from 1 September 2025: the top dose went from £122 to £330 a month, a rise of up to 170%.
As of 9 October 2026, no further UK list price rise has been announced for Mounjaro or Wegovy. Private pharmacies still set their own prices, and these can change at any time.
On the NHS, you pay the usual prescription charge, whatever the list price.
If cost is a worry, talk to your prescriber early, check what you're really paying, and never buy from unregulated sellers.

What happened to Mounjaro's price

In August 2025, Eli Lilly announced that the UK list price of Mounjaro (tirzepatide) would rise from 1 September 2025. Monthly list prices had been £92 to £122, depending on the dose. They rose to between £133 and £330. The biggest jump was for the highest dose, from £122 to £330, a rise of about 170%.

Lilly said it had first set the UK price well below the European average to speed up access, and that it was now bringing the price more in line with other countries. Reports at the time linked the change to pressure from the US government on drug prices.

Private pharmacies set their own retail prices on top of the list price, so what people actually paid varied. Many paid much more from September 2025, and some moved provider or started thinking about coming off sooner than they'd planned.

Is another price rise coming?

As of 9 October 2026, neither Eli Lilly nor Novo Nordisk (which makes Wegovy) has announced a new UK list price rise. Novo Nordisk has announced lower list prices in the US from January 2027, but that doesn't apply to the UK.

That doesn't mean your price will stay the same. Private pharmacies change their own prices, introductory offers end after the first month or two, and the price usually goes up as the dose does. New options are arriving too: the MHRA authorised a Wegovy tablet in June 2026 and Lilly's orforglipron tablet in August 2026, and their UK prices are still settling.

We'll update this guide if a new UK price change is announced. Check the date at the top.

If you get your jab on the NHS

NHS patients pay the standard prescription charge in England, or nothing in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whatever the list price. The 2025 rise didn't change what NHS patients pay.

NHS access to tirzepatide is being rolled out in stages over several years, starting with people who have the highest BMI and several weight-related health conditions. If you're paying privately, it's worth asking your GP whether you might qualify now or later. There's more on NHS limits in NHS weight-loss injections and time limits.

What you can do if your jab costs more

Talk to your prescriber early. If you can't keep paying, tell them before you run out, not after. They can talk you through your options, which might include a different treatment, a different provider or stopping, and how to do any of these safely.
Check what you're really paying. Compare the full monthly cost at your current and next dose, including consultation and delivery fees, and what happens to the price after any first-month offer.
Don't change how you use your pens to make them last. Splitting doses, spacing injections out or using leftover medicine without your prescriber's advice can be unsafe.
Never buy from social media, beauty salons or unregulated websites. The MHRA has warned about fake weight-loss pens, some of which have put people in hospital. Only use a UK-registered pharmacy with a prescription: you can check any pharmacy, including online ones, on the General Pharmaceutical Council register.
Plan for the year after now, whatever you decide. If cost means you'll stop sooner than expected, putting habits in place while your appetite is still quiet makes the biggest difference. See stopping because of the cost.

Steadie doesn't give advice about medicines, doses or stopping. Those decisions are for you and your prescriber.

If you've already had to stop

You're not alone, and it isn't a failure. Hunger usually returns over the weeks after the last dose, and some weight often comes back, but habits make a real difference. Start with what happens when you stop and keeping weight off after a GLP-1.

Common questions

Is Mounjaro going up in price again?

As of 9 October 2026, Eli Lilly hasn't announced another UK list price rise. The big rise was on 1 September 2025. Private pharmacies set their own prices, so check yours before each order.

Did the price rise affect NHS patients?

No. NHS patients pay the standard prescription charge in England, and nothing in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whatever the list price.

Has Wegovy gone up in price?

Novo Nordisk hasn't announced a UK list price rise for Wegovy. Retail prices still differ between pharmacies and change over time.

Can I make my pens last longer to save money?

Don't change how you use your medicine without your prescriber's advice. If cost is a problem, tell your prescriber; they can talk you through safe options.

Is it safe to buy cheaper jabs online?

Only from a UK-registered pharmacy with a prescription. The MHRA has warned about fake pens sold online and on social media. Check a pharmacy on the General Pharmaceutical Council register, and report anything suspicious through the Yellow Card scheme.

Sources

This guide is general information, not medical advice. Steadie never gives advice about medication, doses or stopping treatment: talk to your prescriber, GP or pharmacist about those. In an emergency, call 999. Read how we write guides in our editorial policy.