Mounjaro has become the default weight loss injection in the UK — the name people use generically, the one their GP mentions, the one that has repriced twice. But it is not the only option, and for a significant number of UK patients it is not the best one. This guide covers the alternatives to Mounjaro from a UK perspective: what else is licensed, what it costs, and when the NHS route beats everything private.

Quick Takeaway:

• Wegovy (semaglutide) is the main alternative injectable and is generally cheaper in the UK
• The Wegovy Pill and Foundayo (orforglipron) offer oral GLP-1 options without injection
• Nevolat (liraglutide) is a daily injection alternative available through UK online doctors
• Tablets — orlistat, Xenical, Mysimba, Alli — are available from £39.99/month
• NHS tirzepatide within NICE criteria costs the prescription charge, or nothing if exempt

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Alternative 1: The NHS Route

This belongs first because it is the option most UK patients never investigate.

NICE has recommended tirzepatide for weight management within defined criteria, with NHS rollout phased and prioritised by clinical need, and Mounjaro has been approved for NHS prescription from GPs. Where you qualify, you pay the standard NHS prescription charge — or nothing if you are exempt.

Private providers say this themselves. Asda Online Doctor states that if a specialist weight management service approves treatment you pay only the NHS prescription charge. Superdrug Online Doctor publishes equivalent guidance.

NHS Tier 3 specialist weight management is delivered in some areas by Oviva — free via GP referral, endocrinologist-led, with up to two years of dietetic and psychological support and medication where appropriate.

The same medication for a prescription charge instead of £299 a month is not a small difference. Ask your GP.

Alternative 2: Wegovy

Wegovy contains semaglutide and is licensed for chronic weight management. It produced around 15% mean weight loss at 68 weeks in trials, against roughly 16.5%–22.4% over 72 weeks for tirzepatide — so somewhat less on average, but with a meaningful cost advantage in the UK.

UK list prices for Wegovy have been around £73.25 per pack for the 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg and 1.0 mg strengths, £124.53 for 1.7 mg, and £175.80 for 2.4 mg.

Alternative 3: Oral GLP-1s

Two now exist, and both are cheaper than injectable Mounjaro in the UK.

• Wegovy Pill (oral semaglutide) — available through ZAVA and Boots. ZAVA's guidance indicates patients on 7.5 mg or higher Mounjaro can usually switch to the pill's maximum maintenance dose.
• Foundayo (orforglipron) — Eli Lilly's oral GLP-1. Second Nature offers a Foundayo programme at £129–£179/month, materially below its injectable programmes.

Alternative 4: Daily Liraglutide

Nevolat is a once-daily liraglutide injection available through ZAVA, filling the gap left by Saxenda's long-term unavailability. ZAVA cites patients losing up to 8% of starting weight in 56 weeks on the maintenance dose — considerably less than tirzepatide, but a licensed option for patients who cannot access or tolerate the weekly agents.

Pharmacy2U also offers Saxenda alongside Wegovy and Mounjaro.

Alternative 5: Tablets

If injections are unaffordable, prescription tablets are a legitimate treatment rather than a consolation prize.

Important: Ten percent body weight loss is the threshold at which most obesity-related comorbidities begin to improve. A £40 tablet sustained for two years does more for your health than a £299 injection abandoned after two months. If cost is the binding constraint, this is the honest comparison to make.

Alternative 6: A Cheaper Mounjaro Provider

If Mounjaro itself is right and only the price is wrong, UK pricing varies considerably by provider:

See our UK cost guide for the full picture.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main alternative to Mounjaro in the UK?

Wegovy, which contains semaglutide. It produces somewhat less average weight loss in trials — around 15% at 68 weeks versus roughly 16.5%–22.4% for tirzepatide — but is generally cheaper across UK providers, with published starting points from around £99 per pen.

Can I get Mounjaro on the NHS instead of paying privately?

NICE has recommended tirzepatide for weight management within defined criteria, with phased NHS rollout, and Mounjaro has been approved for NHS prescription from GPs. Where you qualify you pay the standard prescription charge or nothing if exempt. Speak to your GP before paying privately.

Is there a tablet alternative to Mounjaro?

Yes, two kinds. Oral GLP-1s — the Wegovy Pill and Foundayo (orforglipron) — offer the same drug class without injection, with Foundayo programme pricing from £129/month. Older tablets such as orlistat and Mysimba are available from £39.99/month but produce more modest results.

What is Nevolat?

Nevolat is a once-daily liraglutide injection available through UK online doctors, filling the gap left by Saxenda's long-term unavailability. ZAVA cites up to 8% of starting weight lost in 56 weeks on the maintenance dose.

Which UK provider is cheapest for Mounjaro?

Published entry points vary from around £129 at Simple Online Pharmacy to around £209 at Numan, rising to £299–£339 at the highest doses across providers. Price your maintenance dose rather than the starter dose when comparing.

Why did Mounjaro get more expensive in the UK?

Eli Lilly raised Mounjaro's UK list price from September 2025. It had launched below other European markets to support faster access, and the increase brought it closer to international pricing. Pharmacy cost prices rose accordingly, though Pharmacy2U publicly froze its own prices.

Bottom Line

Before switching Mounjaro providers, check whether you qualify for it on the NHS. That single question is worth more than any price comparison in this article.

If you do not qualify, Wegovy is generally cheaper for somewhat less average weight loss, oral GLP-1s remove the injection at a lower price point, daily liraglutide is a licensed fallback, and tablets from £39.99 are a legitimate treatment if injections are out of reach. And if Mounjaro is right and only the price is wrong, UK provider pricing varies by well over £100 a month at the same dose.

US readers: CoreAge Rx offers all-in monthly pricing from $179–$399 including medication, provider messaging, and titration support. 12–24 hour approvals.

Medical disclaimer: Informational only, not medical advice. All medications discussed carry risks and contraindications. Never switch or stop treatment without your prescriber's direction. UK pricing changes frequently and should be verified directly.

Sources: Provider published UK pricing pages as cited in the linked reviews; UK published list prices for semaglutide; NICE tirzepatide and obesity guidance; MHRA medicine information; The Pharmaceutical Journal reporting on UK Mounjaro pricing.

Date reviewed: August 2026