Cost disparity for private IVF across England

The cost of accessing private fertility treatment in England can vary by up to 30 percent, depending on where you live.

New figures given to the Observer by Fertility Mapper, a website which posts reviews and patient experiences of the UK's private fertility clinics, has shown that London is the most expensive city to have IVF. It found the average cost of IVF in London was £6150, while in Manchester it cost an average of £4764. Previous research by the organisation showed that what was included in IVF packages offered by private clinics varied significantly, meaning patients often paid much more.  

'Patients suddenly become consumers when they start IVF and it can be very difficult for people who aren't medically trained to know what they're buying,' said Kayleigh Hartigan, founder and chief executive of Fertility Mapper.

Private fertility clinics can set their own costs for treatments. Between 2019-2021 60 percent of IVF cycles were paid for privately by the patient, and the number of NHS-funded cycles dropped 16 percent, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

Advertised prices also varied considerably, with clinics in Brighton advertising IVF for the highest national average figure of £4590, while clinics in Leeds advertised treatment for an average of £3475. These advertised costs did not include blood tests, screenings and storage of surplus embryos, Fertility Mapper noted.

A large price discrepancy was found even within UK cities, with the cost of treatment in London ranging from £3745 to £13,408 across 35 private clinics.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority and Advertising Standards Authority published an open letter in October 2022 calling on fertility clinics to be more transparent in their pricing (see BioNews 1160). Concerns had originally been raised in 2020 (see BioNews 1035) about lack of compliance with marketing guidelines on fertility clinic websites, and the CMA issued guidance on this in June 2021 (see BioNews 1099).

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Fertility Guideline states that women under 40 years old should be offered three full cycles of fertility treatment on the NHS. However, only three out of 42 Integrated Care Boards, the NHS organisations which plan health services for their local population, match this offer (see BioNews 1199).