The Wegovy pill in the UK: who it suits, how it is taken and what it costs
The first weight-loss tablet licensed in the UK, approved in June 2026. How it works, how to take it, who it suits compared with the injections, and what it costs privately.
The Wegovy pill is oral semaglutide: the same medicine as the Wegovy injection, taken as a tablet once a day instead of an injection once a week. The MHRA approved it for weight management in June 2026, and it became available on private prescription in the UK in July 2026.
Who it is for
Adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 and above with at least one weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol. A doctor checks your history and medicines before prescribing.
How it is taken
One tablet each morning when you wake, on an empty stomach.
Swallow it whole with a small sip of plain water, and nothing else.
Wait at least 30 minutes before you eat, drink, or take any other tablets.
That gap is what lets the medicine absorb. Taken with breakfast or a coffee, much less of it gets in.
You start on 1.5mg and step up roughly monthly, through 4mg and 9mg, to 25mg, which is the usual maintenance dose. Your doctor may hold you at a lower dose if it is working.
Who it suits, compared with the injections
It suits you if you would rather not inject, you are happy with the same morning routine every day.
An injection may suit you better if your mornings are unpredictable, you take other tablets first thing that cannot wait, or you would rather think about your medicine once a week.
In the main trial, people on the 25mg dose lost about 14% of their body weight on average over 64 weeks, close to what the weekly injection achieves. Side effects are the same family: nausea, indigestion and bowel changes, mostly while the dose is going up.
If you take levothyroxine or another medicine that must be taken on an empty stomach, tell your doctor: the timing needs planning.
What it costs
The Wegovy pill is not yet available on the NHS. Privately, the price depends on the dose. At LoveMyLife it starts at £129.99 for the 1.5mg starting dose. Current prices for every dose are on our Wegovy Tablets page.
For how it compares with Wegovy injections and Mounjaro, read Mounjaro, Wegovy or the Wegovy pill: which is right for you.
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Ready to start?
If this article has made you think medication might help, the next step is a short consultation with one of our weight-management doctors.
Begin your assessment at this link. Online in 30 minutes, or in person at Westfield London.