Is Saxenda still available in the UK?
Novo Nordisk has discontinued branded Saxenda to focus its production on Wegovy, so the pen you may have seen advertised is no longer manufactured.
The drug itself, liraglutide, is still available. Since the patent expired in 2024, it’s now sold as a generic, most commonly as Nevolat, made by Zentiva.
Nevolat contains the same drug at the same doses, given as the same daily injection, so there’s no clinical difference between it and the original Saxenda. It’s usually cheaper than the branded version (Saxenda) was.
Liraglutide is a GLP-1 medication, which means it mimics a gut hormone called GLP-1 that reduces appetite and quietens food noise, the constant background thoughts about food.2
In the SCALE trial, people taking liraglutide 3.0 mg lost an average of around 8% of their body weight over 56 weeks, with 63% losing at least 5%.2
So, liraglutide does support clinically meaningful weight loss and blood sugar improvements for people who can stay on the drug.
NHS eligibility criteria for liraglutide
The NHS eligibility criteria for liraglutide are quite narrow.1 To qualify, you need all of the following:
- A BMI of 35 or above, or 32.5 or above if you’re from a South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African, or African-Caribbean background
- Non-diabetic hyperglycaemia, sometimes called prediabetes, where blood sugar is raised but not yet in the type 2 diabetes range
- A high risk of heart disease, based on measures such as your blood pressure and cholesterol
Treatment is prescribed within a specialist tier 3 weight-management service, not by your GP, and it’s usually funded for up to 2 years.1
It’s continued only if you’ve lost at least 5% of your starting weight after 12 weeks on the full dose. If you haven’t, it’s stopped.1
Because these criteria are narrow, many people who are living with obesity don’t qualify for liraglutide specifically, even though they may qualify for other NHS weight-management support.
Getting referred through the NHS
The route starts with your GP, who can refer you to a specialist (tier 3) weight-management service if you meet the criteria.
A tier 3 service is a multidisciplinary team, usually including doctors, dietitians, psychologists, and physiotherapists, who assess your health and provide support alongside any medication.
It helps to go to your appointment with your weight history and any previous attempts to lose weight, the conditions you’ve been diagnosed with, and how your weight affects your daily life.
In some areas, Second Nature is an approved tier 3 provider, so you can ask your GP to refer you to us.
Waiting times vary a lot by area, and some specialist services have waits of several months to over a year.
If your GP doesn’t think you meet the criteria, ask them to explain why, and what would need to change.
You can also ask about an individual funding request to your local Integrated Care Board, or use the checker above to see what other NHS support is available where you live.
More effective alternatives to liraglutide
Liraglutide was one of the first weight-loss injections, but newer GLP-1 medications produce more weight loss, have a lower risk of side effects, and are given as a weekly injection rather than a daily one.
Wegovy contains semaglutide, which mimics the same GLP-1 hormone as liraglutide.
In the STEP 1 trial, people taking Wegovy 2.4 mg lost an average of 14.9% of their body weight over 68 weeks.3
A higher 7.2 mg dose of Wegovy, approved by the MHRA in January 2026, produced an average of 20.7% in the STEP UP trial.4
Mounjaro contains tirzepatide, which mimics two appetite hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, rather than one. That dual action is the likely reason it produces the most average weight loss of the three.
In the SURMOUNT-1 trial, people taking Mounjaro 15 mg lost an average of 22.5% of their body weight over 72 weeks.5
| Medication |
Drug |
Dosing |
Average weight loss |
| Saxenda / Nevolat |
Liraglutide |
Daily injection |
Around 8% (SCALE)2 |
| Wegovy |
Semaglutide |
Weekly injection |
14.9% at 2.4 mg (STEP 1)3 |
| Mounjaro |
Tirzepatide |
Weekly injection |
22.5% at 15 mg (SURMOUNT-1)5 |
| Orlistat |
Orlistat |
Up to 3 times a day with meals |
Around 3 to 5% |
Wegovy is available on the NHS through tier 3 specialist services for people with a BMI of 35 or above and a weight-related condition, and Mounjaro is being rolled out through GPs in a phased programme that started with the highest-need group in June 2025.3,5
Orlistat is a weight-loss tablet that reduces how much fat the body absorbs. Your GP can prescribe it, and a lower-dose version (Alli) is available from pharmacies without a prescription. It produces less weight loss than the injections.
Whichever medication you take, it’s essential to combine weight-loss medication with healthy lifestyle changes to support all-around health and prevent weight regain in the future.
At Second Nature, we combine Wegovy or Mounjaro with one-to-one support from registered dietitians, built around a balanced plate of vegetables, protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
In our published evaluation of a GLP-1-supported programme, members lost an average of 19.1% of their body weight at 12 months, with 77.7% losing at least 10%.6
Private options
If you don’t meet the NHS criteria, or you’d rather not wait for a specialist service, you can get a weight-loss injection through a private prescription.
Generic liraglutide (Nevolat) is available privately and is usually the cheapest of the injections, though it produces the least weight loss and has a higher risk of side effects.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are also available privately, typically from around £150 to £375 a month depending on the medication and dose.
When you’re comparing providers, check that the service is registered with the Care Quality Commission, dispenses through a pharmacy registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, and gives you a proper clinical assessment rather than a quick online form.
The best services also include support from registered dietitians and habit coaching, not the medication on its own.
Take our 3-minute eligibility quiz, and a clinician will review your answers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Saxenda still available in the UK?
Novo Nordisk has discontinued branded Saxenda, but the drug it contains, liraglutide, is still available as a generic medication, most commonly as Nevolat.
Nevolat is made by Zentiva and contains the same drug at the same doses, so there’s no clinical difference between it and the original Saxenda.
Can my GP prescribe Saxenda?
Your GP can’t prescribe it directly on the NHS. Liraglutide is prescribed through a specialist tier 3 weight-management service, so they can refer you but not prescribe it themselves.1
A GP working privately may be able to issue a private prescription.
How much does Saxenda or Nevolat cost per month in the UK?
On the NHS, you pay the standard prescription charge of £9.90 per item in England, and nothing in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Privately, generic liraglutide (Nevolat) is usually the cheapest weight-loss injection, and tends to be lower than the £150 to £300 a month that branded Saxenda used to cost.
How do I get Saxenda for free in the UK?
The only way to get liraglutide free is on the NHS, if you meet the criteria, where you pay only the standard prescription charge or nothing at all in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.1
The criteria are narrow, so if you don’t qualify for liraglutide, use the checker at the top of this page to see what other NHS weight-management support is available in your area.
What’s better, Mounjaro or Saxenda?
Mounjaro produces considerably more weight loss. In its SURMOUNT-1 trial, it produced an average of 22.5% over 72 weeks, compared with around 8% for liraglutide in the SCALE trial.2,5
Mounjaro is also a weekly injection rather than a daily one. Liraglutide is still used for some people, but it’s no longer considered the most effective option.
Is Saxenda similar to Ozempic?
They’re related but not the same. Both are GLP-1 medications, but Saxenda and Nevolat contain liraglutide and are licensed for weight management, while Ozempic contains semaglutide and is licensed for type 2 diabetes.
The semaglutide medication licensed for weight loss is Wegovy, which contains the same drug as Ozempic at higher doses.
How much weight will I lose on Saxenda?
In the SCALE trial, people taking liraglutide 3.0 mg lost an average of around 8% of their body weight over 56 weeks, with 63% losing at least 5%.2
Still, individual weight loss results will depend on the individual’s response to the medication and their commitment to introducing healthy lifestyle changes alongside the medication.
What are the main side effects of liraglutide?
The most common side effects are related to the digestive system, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, and vomiting.2
They’re usually mild to moderate, most likely while your dose is being increased, and tend to ease as the body adjusts to the medication.
Take home message
You can get liraglutide, the drug in Saxenda, on the NHS, but only through a specialist weight-management service and only if you have a BMI of 35 or above along with prediabetes and a high risk of heart disease.
Branded Saxenda has been discontinued, and the same drug is now supplied as a generic, usually as Nevolat, at the same doses.
Still, liraglutide is rarely the first choice of treatment on the NHS, because Wegovy and Mounjaro produce more weight loss and have a lower risk of side effects. They’re also weekly injections, rather than daily, which likely promotes more adherence to the medication.
Wegovy and Mounjaro are both available on the NHS for people who meet the criteria, and all three are available through private prescription.
Whichever route you take, the research suggests you’re more likely to avoid weight regain when a medication is combined with structured habit support to make lifestyle changes than when it’s prescribed on its own.
Second Nature combines Wegovy or Mounjaro with the balanced-plate approach and one-to-one support from registered dietitians.
In our published evaluation of a GLP-1-supported programme, members lost an average of 19.1% of their body weight at 12 months, with 77.7% losing at least 10%.6
Second Nature's Mounjaro and Wegovy programmes
Second Nature provides Mounjaro or Wegovy as part of our Mounjaro and Wegovy weight-loss programmes.
Why choose Second Nature over other medication providers, assuming you're eligible?
Because peace of mind matters.
We've had the privilege of working with the NHS for over eight years, helping people across the UK take meaningful steps toward a healthier, happier life.
Our programmes are designed to meet people where they are, whether that means support with weight loss through compassionate one-to-one health coaching, or access to the latest weight-loss medications (like Mounjaro and Wegovy) delivered alongside expert care from a multidisciplinary team of doctors, psychologists, dietitians, and personal trainers.
At the heart of everything we do is a simple belief: real, lasting change comes from building better habits, not relying on quick fixes. We're here to support that change every step of the way.
With over a decade of experience, thousands of lives changed, and a long-standing record of delivering programmes used by the NHS, we believe we're the UK's most trusted weight-loss programme.
We hope to offer you something invaluable: peace of mind, and the support you need to take that first step.
