Short answer: Mounjaro (tirzepatide) and Wegovy (semaglutide) are licensed in the UK for weight management in adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 29.9 with at least one weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or blood fats, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes. That is the licence in each medicine's UK product information (SmPC, section 4.1), and Wegovy tablets and Foundayo have the same BMI thresholds. Wegovy's higher 7.2mg dose is only for a BMI of 30 or above. We supply adults aged 18 to 85, and a GPhC-registered pharmacist reviews every consultation, so a BMI in range is where the check starts, not a guarantee.
This guide sets out what the UK product information says, as of October 2026: the BMI you need for Mounjaro, Wegovy (including 7.2mg), Wegovy tablets and Foundayo, which weight-related conditions count, how the NHS differs, who cannot have treatment whatever their BMI, what happens if your BMI drops during treatment, and the BMI for orlistat.
What BMI do you need for Mounjaro?
You need a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27 to 29.9 with at least one weight-related condition, to be prescribed Mounjaro for weight management in the UK. The Mounjaro KwikPen's product information (section 4.1) licenses it for weight management, including losing weight and keeping it off, alongside a reduced-calorie diet and more physical activity, in adults whose BMI when they start is 30 or more (obesity), or 27 to under 30 (overweight) with at least one weight-related condition. It gives high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes as examples. Its safety and effectiveness for weight management have not been established in anyone under 18.
In short: a BMI under 27 is not within the UK licence for weight management; a BMI of 27 to 29.9 is within it with a weight-related condition; and a BMI of 30 or above is within the licence on its own.
- Under 27Not within the UK licence for weight management
- 27 to 29.9With a weight-related condition
- 30 or aboveWithin the licence
Mounjaro is also licensed to treat type 2 diabetes, and that licence has no BMI threshold. Through Solira, Mounjaro is supplied for weight management. If you have type 2 diabetes, our guide on taking Mounjaro with type 2 diabetes explains how it fits with other diabetes medicines.
What BMI do you need for Wegovy, and for Wegovy 7.2mg?
Wegovy needs the same BMI as Mounjaro: 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with at least one weight-related condition. That is section 4.1 of the Wegovy product information. The dose starts at 0.25mg once a week and goes up over 16 weeks to 2.4mg (section 4.2).
The 7.2mg dose has a stricter rule. The product information allows it, if needed, only for weight management in adults with obesity, which means a BMI of 30 or above, and only after at least 4 weeks on 2.4mg. So with a BMI of 27 to 29.9, Wegovy goes up to 2.4mg, and your pharmacist confirms the BMI rule before any 7.2mg order. Our guide to Wegovy 7.2mg explains the higher dose.
Wegovy's licence also covers reducing the risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack or stroke, in adults with established cardiovascular disease and a BMI of 27 or above, and weight management in some young people aged 12 and over. Through Solira, Wegovy is supplied for weight management in adults aged 18 to 85.
What BMI do you need for Wegovy tablets or Foundayo?
Wegovy tablets (semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron) need the same BMI as the injections: 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with at least one weight-related condition. Both are once-daily tablets, and section 4.1 of each product information sets the same thresholds. Foundayo was licensed by the MHRA on 10 August 2026. Neither tablet's safety and effectiveness has been established in anyone under 18.
Where they differ is which conditions count with us at a BMI of 27 to 29.9: Wegovy tablets accept a longer list, and Foundayo the same list as the injections, as the next section shows. Our guide on how to get Wegovy tablets in the UK walks through the steps, and our Foundayo guide covers ordering Foundayo through Solira.
The table puts the licences side by side.
| Medicine | BMI in the UK licence (section 4.1) | Conditions that count at 27 to 29.9 with us |
|---|---|---|
| Mounjaro (tirzepatide), weekly injection | 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with a weight-related condition | The injections list, below |
| Wegovy (semaglutide), weekly injection, 0.25mg to 2.4mg | 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with a weight-related condition | The injections list, below |
| Wegovy 7.2mg | 30 or above only, after at least 4 weeks on 2.4mg (section 4.2) | Not available at 27 to 29.9 |
| Wegovy tablets (semaglutide), once a day | 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with a weight-related condition | The longer tablets list, below |
| Foundayo (orforglipron), once a day | 30 or above, or 27 to 29.9 with a weight-related condition | The injections list, below |
| Orlistat 120mg (Xenical) | 30 or above, or 28 or above with risk factors | See the orlistat section |
| Orlistat 60mg (alli) | 28 or above | See the orlistat section |
Which weight-related conditions count with a BMI of 27 to 29.9?
High blood pressure, raised cholesterol or blood fats, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes and type 2 diabetes count for all four medicines, and Wegovy tablets accept several more. These are the words of the counselling we give every patient:
Mounjaro, Wegovy injections and Foundayo
Treatment may be suitable if you're aged 18–85 and have a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27–29.9 alongside one of the following: high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or blood fats, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes.
Wegovy tablets
Treatment may be suitable if you're aged 18–85 and have a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 27–29.9 alongside one of the following: type 2 diabetes, prediabetes or impaired glucose tolerance, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol or blood fats, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, obstructive sleep apnoea, an obstructive lung condition such as COPD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or fertility difficulties linked to weight.
The lists differ because our pharmacist supplies each medicine under its own protocol, and the protocol for Wegovy tablets names more conditions that count at a BMI of 27 to 29.9. So at that BMI, if your only weight-related condition is on the longer list, Wegovy tablets are the medicine our pharmacist can consider; with a BMI of 30 or above, the difference does not apply. Our guide to Mounjaro and PCOS explains this for PCOS, now called PMOS.
Not sure whether you qualify? Our consultation asks about your BMI, your health and the medicines you take, and a GPhC-registered pharmacist reviews every answer before anything is supplied.
Check your eligibilityIs the BMI different on the NHS?
Yes, the NHS uses higher BMI thresholds than the UK licence. NICE recommends tirzepatide (Mounjaro) on the NHS for adults with a BMI of at least 35 and at least one weight-related condition, introduced in phases that start with the highest BMIs and the most conditions (TA1026), and semaglutide (Wegovy) within specialist weight management services for adults with at least one weight-related condition and a BMI of at least 35, or 30 to 34.9 if they meet the referral criteria (TA875). NICE's guidance sets out the full criteria, and our guides to weight loss injections on the NHS and Mounjaro on the NHS explain who qualifies there.
Who cannot have Mounjaro or Wegovy even with the right BMI?
Even with a BMI in range, we cannot supply these medicines if you are under 18 or over 85, if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding, or if you have one of the conditions our consultation screens out. The UK product information for all four gives one contraindication, an allergy to the medicine or any of its other ingredients, and says none of them should be used during pregnancy.
Our consultation asks about each of the conditions below. If any of them applies to you, we do not supply Mounjaro, Wegovy, Wegovy tablets or Foundayo, and your GP is the right person to talk to:
- Cirrhosis or severe liver disease (liver failure, or told you are Child-Pugh C)
- Chronic kidney disease (eGFR < 30 mL/min)
- Heart failure that leaves you breathless at rest or unable to do any activity (NYHA class 4)
- History of pancreatitis
- Medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) or MEN-2, in you or a blood relative
- Currently having chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other active cancer treatment
- Type 1 diabetes
- An eating disorder diagnosed by a doctor, now or in the past (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder)
- Gallbladder problems right now: gallstones causing pain, cholecystitis, or waiting for gallbladder surgery
- Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying) or a previous bowel obstruction
We also cannot start treatment if you take insulin or a sulphonylurea, such as gliclazide. GLP-1 treatment with insulin or a sulphonylurea can cause dangerously low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia). This needs to be managed by your GP or diabetes team, who can adjust your existing medicines at the same time. An operation under general anaesthetic or deep sedation in the next 7 days, or weight loss surgery in the last 24 months, also means we cannot start treatment yet. Our guides Is Mounjaro safe? and Is Wegovy safe? go through who should not take each medicine and why.
How do you work out your BMI?
Your BMI is your weight in kilograms divided by your height in metres, squared. The NHS gives this example: at 70kg and 1.70m tall, 1.70 × 1.70 = 2.89, and 70 ÷ 2.89 = 24.2. Our BMI calculator does the sum for you in centimetres and kilograms or in feet and stones.
BMI can't tell muscle from fat, so a very muscular person can come out as overweight or obese. That is one reason a BMI in range is the start of the check rather than the whole of it.
How do you qualify for Mounjaro or Wegovy?
Work out your BMI. Use our BMI calculator. A BMI of 30 or above is within the licence for all four medicines; at 27 to 29.9 you also need a weight-related condition.
Check the conditions if your BMI is 27 to 29.9. The two lists above show which conditions count for the injections and Foundayo, and which count for Wegovy tablets.
Answer our consultation. It asks about your health, your medical history, the medicines you take, any planned operations, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
A pharmacist reviews every answer. A GPhC-registered pharmacist reviews every consultation before anything is supplied. If your pharmacist cannot approve your order, we refund you in full.
My BMI has dropped since I started: can I carry on?
Yes, as long as it stays at 20 or more and treatment is still right for you. The UK licence refers to your BMI when you start (the product information calls it your "initial" BMI), so a BMI that falls below 30, or below 27, as treatment works is not on its own a reason to stop. If you take a weight-loss medicine now, with us or another provider, your BMI needs to be 20 or more to carry on. Your pharmacist reviews your BMI at every order.
The product information for Mounjaro and Wegovy also asks for a decision on whether to carry on if you have not lost at least 5% of your starting weight 6 months into treatment (for Mounjaro, 6 months after reaching your highest tolerated dose). This is what we tell every patient:
We'll pause or stop treatment if it isn't working for you (less than 5% weight loss after a fair trial at your best-tolerated dose), if side effects persist despite adjusting, if your BMI falls below 20, or if you become pregnant. Treatment is reviewed regularly, and if longer-term therapy beyond our service is right for you, we'll help you transition to a prescriber-led pathway.
If you have had a break from treatment, the rules for restarting depend on how long it has been. Our guide to restarting Mounjaro or Wegovy after a break explains them.
What BMI do you need for orlistat?
Orlistat 120mg needs a BMI of 30 or above, or 28 or above with associated risk factors, and orlistat 60mg a BMI of 28 or above. Those are section 4.1 of the Xenical 120mg and alli 60mg product information. Orlistat is a capsule taken with meals that stops some of the fat in your food from being absorbed (section 5.1), and it is not a GLP-1 medicine. Our pharmacist applies these rules:
Orlistat may be suitable if you're aged 18 to 75 and have a BMI of 30 or above, or a BMI of 28 or above with type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Our pharmacist reviews your consultation before anything is supplied.
Orlistat 60mg is for adults aged 18 and over with a BMI of 28 or above, for no more than 6 months of treatment.
Our orlistat page explains how it is taken. With a BMI under 27, none of the medicines in this guide is licensed for weight management. If you are worried about your weight, contact your local pharmacist or GP surgery.