IVF on the NHS

If you need help having a child in the UK, you might consider turning to the NHS for free IVF.

There’s a wealth of information out there on who might be eligible, but it can be hard to find – and even harder to understand.

This guide aims to help you make an informed decision if you’re considering IVF on the NHS.

Can you get IVF on the NHS? 

In short, yes, you may be able to have IVF on the NHS. But access to NHS fertility treatment isn’t always straightforward. Depending on where you live, the number of cycles offered varies from one to three. Plus, there are a number of additional criteria you need to meet to be eligible for NHS treatment.

We’ll answer the common questions from our community:

• Is IVF free on the NHS?
• Can a single woman have IVF on the NHS?
• Can same-sex couples have IVF on the NHS?
• How many rounds or cycles can have on on the NHS?
• What is the IVF age limit for NHS?
• Can you get NHS IVF funding for a second child?

What are the NHS IVF criteria?

In 2013, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) released updated recommendations clearly outlining who should receive IVF treatment on the NHS in England and Wales.

Unfortunately, it’s not mandatory for the NHS to follow these guidelines. This means that it’s actually within the power of local integrated care boards (ICBs), formerly called clinical commissioning groups, to set their own criteria and ultimately make the final decision on who can receive IVF in their area.

What is the age criteria?

The recommendations outlined by NICE suggest that:

• Women aged 39 and younger should have access to three full cycles of IVF treatment.
• Women aged between 40 and 42 who have never had IVF treatment and who do not have a low ovarian reserve should be able to access one full cycle of IVF.

An example where recommendations aren’t applied can be seen across Berkshire West, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Southampton and the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, plus some areas within Frimley. In these areas, IVF is only offered until the age of 35, rather than the NICE recommended age of 39 or 40.

What are the other most common criteria?

As well as your age, there are additional ICB criteria that you may need to meet to qualify for IVF on the NHS. These include:

• not having any children already (from either a current or previous relationship);
• being a healthy weight;
• being a non-smoker;
• having a good ovarian reserve.

Although these criteria seem clear, specific conditions can vary based on your location, making the process of applying for IVF on the NHS incredibly confusing and frustrating.

What happens if I don't meet the NHS criteria?

In this scenario, or if you’ve exhausted your NHS cycles, you may choose to fund your treatment privately. You can read our guide on the cost of IVF. At Gaia, we believe more people should be able to access IVF, with lower risks. With a Gaia Plan you’re able to go through all the treatments you need for a fraction of the cost, and only repay an affordable monthly amount when you have a child. Nothing more if you don’t.

You can request a personalised Plan to see how much it could cost you. It's commitment free.

Navigating the IVF postcode lottery

Adding another layer to the confusion is the question of how many cycles you’ll be offered on the NHS. Some areas will offer only one cycle of IVF, while others will offer two or three.

The ICB directory from NHS England tells you how many cycles the NHS might offer you, but it can be difficult to interpret.

To help you break it down, we’ve split the data to reflect how many cycles of IVF are offered in each area of England. When looking for your area, remember that your ICB is based on the location of your GP Practice, rather than your own home address.

Areas offering 1 cycle

• Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire
• Berkshire West
• Birmingham and Solihull
• Blackburn and Darwin
• Black Country and West Birmingham
• Blackpool 
• Bolton
• Bradford District and 
• Bracknell, Royal Borough of Windsor, Maidenhead and Slough 
• Buckinghamshire
• Bury
• Calderdale
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Cannock Chase
• Cheshire
• Chorley, Ribble and SouthWestern
• Coventry and Warwickshire
• Craven
• Derby and Derbyshire
• Devon
• Dorset
• East and North Hertfordshire
• East Lancashire
• East Leicestershire and 
• East Staffordshire
• Rutford
• East Riding of Yorkshire
• Fylde & Wyre
• Gloucestershire
• Greater Preston
• Halton
• Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight
• Herefordshire and 
• Herts Valleys
• Worcestershire
• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale
• Kernow
• Kirklees
• Leeds
• Leicester City
• Lincolnshire
• Manchester
• North East Lincolnshire
• North Hampshire
• North Lincolnshire
• ​​North West London
• North Yorkshire
• Northamptonshire
• Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
• Oldham
• Oxfordshire
• Sheffield
• Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin
• Somerset
• South East London
• South East Staffordshire & Seisdon Peninsula
• South West London
• Southend
• Stafford and Surrounds
• Trafford
• Vale of York
• Wakefield
• Warrington
• West Essex
• West Lancashire
• West Leicestershire

Areas offering 2 cycles

• Barnsley 
• Brighton and Hove
• Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire
• Castle Point and Rochford
• Doncaster
• East Sussex
• Farnham
• Ipswich and East Suffolk
• Kent and Medway
• Liverpool
• Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes
• Morecambe Bay
• Norfolk and Waveney
• North East Essex
• North Staffordshire
• Portsmouth
• Rotherham
• Salford
• St Helen's
• Stoke on Trent
• Stockport
• Surrey Heartlands
• Surrey Heath
• Thurrock
• West Suffolk
• West Sussex
• Wigan Borough
• Wirral
  

Areas offering 3 cycles

• Bassetlaw
• County Durham
• Hull
• Knowsley
• Newcastle Gateshead
• North Central London
• North Cumbria
• North Tyneside
• Northumberland
• South Sefton
• South Tyneside
• Southport and Formby
• Sunderland
• Tameside and Glossop
• Tees Valley

Can same-sex couples have IVF on the NHS?

Some areas of England offer IVF to same-sex couples. But additional criteria may apply depending on your location, making the barrier to entry that much higher. 

For instance, in South East London, <z tooltip="IUI) is a type of fertility treatment when sperm is directly inserted into a woman's womb.">intrauterine insemination (IUI)</z> for female same-sex couples is only offered after a total of 12 self-funded attempts at IUI over a period of at least 12 months. 

Meanwhile, same-sex couples in Hull may be offered treatment after six self-funded rounds of IUI.

ICBs in England that may offer IVF to same-sex couples

It’s important to note that although this list seems extensive, it is still rare for same-sex couples to be offered IVF on the NHS. 

• Barnsley
• Bassetlaw
• Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire - BSWICB
• Berkshire West (female only)
• Black Country and West Birmingham
• Blackpool (female only)
• Bolton
• Bradford District and Craven
• Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire
• Buckinghamshire (female only)
• Bury (female only)
• Calderdale (female only)
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Cannock Chase (female only)
• Cheshire
• Chorley/Ribble and South Western (female only)
• Derby and Derbyshire (female only)
• Devon
• Doncaster
• Dorset (females only)
• East and North Hertfordshire 
• East Lancashire (female only)
• East Leicestershire and Rutford
• East Riding of Yorkshire
• East Staffordshire
• East Sussex
• Frimley (female only)
• Fylde and Wyre
• Gloucestershire (female only)
• Greater Preston (female only)
• Halton (female only)
• Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight (female only)
• Herefordshire and Worcestershire (female only)
• Hertz Valleys
• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (female only)
• Hull 
• Ipswich and East Suffolk
• Kent and Medway
• Kernow
• Kirklees
• Knowsley
• Leicester City
• Lincolnshire
• Liverpool
• Manchester
• North East Lincolnshire
• North Lincolnshire
• North Staffordshire
• North Tyneside
• North West London
• North Yorkshire
• Northamptonshire
• Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
• Oldham
• Portsmouth (female only)
• Rotherham
• Salford (female only)
• Sheffield
• Somerset
• South East London
• South East Staffordshire and Seisdon Peninsula (female only)
• South Sefton (female only)
• South Tyneside
• South West London (female only)
• St Helen’s (female only)
• Stafford and Surrounds
• Stockport
• Stoke on Trent (female only)
• Sunderland
• Surrey Heartlands (female only)
• Tameside and Glossop
• Tees Valley
• Thurrock
• Trafford (female only)
• Vale of York
• Wakefield
• Warrington 
• West Essex
• West Lancashire (female only)
• Wigan Borough (female only)
• Wirral

Can a single woman have IVF on the NHS?

As with same-sex couples, the criteria for single women seeking IVF on the NHS can vary widely. For example, in South West London, a single woman must have had a total of 12 attempts at IUI over a period of at least 12 months before being offered NHS treatment.

ICBs in England that may offer IVF to single women

Even though many ICBs claim to offer IVF to single women, it’s very rare that this actually happens. 

• Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire
• Berkshire West
• Black Country and West Birmingham
• Bolton
• Buckinghamshire
• Cheshire
• Chorley/Ribble and South Western
• Derby and Derbyshire
• East Lancashire 
• Fylde and Wyre
• Greater Preston
• Halton
• Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight
• Herefordshire and Worcestershire
• Herts Valleys
• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale
• Kent and Medway
• Knowsley
• Liverpool
• Manchester
• North West London
• Oldham
• Portsmouth
• South East London
• South Sefton
• South West London
• Southport and Formby
• St Helen’s
• Stockport
• Surrey Heartlands
• Tameside and Glossop
• Trafford
• Warrington 
• West Lancashire
• West Leicestershire
• West Suffolk
• Wirral
  

Can you have IVF on the NHS if you already have a child?

In most cases, IVF is not offered to those who already have a biological or adopted child. This is also the case if that child is from a partner's previous relationship.

In some areas, this criteria differs so you may be offered treatment if one of you has a child from a previous relationship. This does not apply if both partners have a child from a previous relationship. 

Single women are not eligible for IVF on the NHS if they already have a child.

Areas that may offer IVF if one partner has a child

• Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire
• Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire
• Bury
• Dorset
• Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale
• Kernow
• Manchester
• North Central London
• Oldham
• South East London
• Salford

What are the NHS IVF waiting times?

The process of getting IVF on the NHS can take a long time. How long you’ll wait can vary depending on your circumstances, but realistically it could take anywhere from six months to a few years.

In most cases, you need to have been trying to conceive for at least a year to even be considered for NHS IVF treatment. Prior to getting funding, you’ll need to have a number of scans and tests to check you’re eligible for treatment, which can also take months to complete.

This can be a reason that some people decide to go private, to get treatment sooner. If want to find out how much it would cost you to go private with a Gaia Plan, you can complete our short questionnaire to request a personalised Plan. It’s commitment free.

How do you apply for NHS funding?

Speak to your local GP if you are interested in NHS funding for your IVF treatment. They will give you more information on your ICB (integrated care board) and waiting times for treatment. Your GP will be the person who will refer you to get additional fertility assessments and to the NHS hospital to get treatment. If the criteria used by your ICB don’t match the NICE recommendation, you can request funding for additional NHS funded cycles. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has some useful resources that can help you request funding from your ICB, and make an appeal if funding is refused.

What to do if you’re not eligible

“We felt like we’d hit a brick wall when we didn't qualify for NHS funding. One email to Gaia later, and we’re on our second round.” – Lyndsey, Gaia Member

We know that receiving the treatment you need to start a family on the NHS is incredibly difficult. And it can be heartbreaking to be turned away.

At this stage, you might be weighing up alternative options, such as IVF financing, or paying for IVF using your savings. But the cost of IVF in the UK isn’t always clear, so self-funding can be daunting.

At Gaia, we believe everyone who wants a family should have the chance to try. The difference between having a child or not shouldn’t be how rich you are. So we created a flexible and affordable way to pay for the treatment you need to have a child, with financial protection if you don’t, and support throughout.

A Gaia Plan allows you to go through all the treatments you need for a fraction of the cost, and only repay an affordable monthly amount when you have a child. Nothing more if you don't. Request a commitment free Plan to see how much it could cost you.

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