New HFEA data: NHS funds only a quarter of IVF cycles in England

Only around a quarter of IVF cycles in England are funded by the NHS, new data from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has shown.

The HFEA, which regulates fertility treatment across the UK, has released its latest Trends and Figures report, detailing all treatments conducted in 2024. The annual number of patients having IVF has almost tripled over the past 30 years, and IVF births doubled from less than 1.5 percent of all UK births in 2004 to more than three percent in 2024. However, in England, the proportion of cycles funded by the NHS has fallen from 32 percent in 2019 to 25 percent in 2024.

'At a time when national birth rates have fallen to an all-time low… almost three-quarters of patients are having to pay for treatment themselves,' said Julia Chain, chair of the HFEA. 'Ensuring fair and equitable access to treatment for all patients has never been more important.'

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence recommends three full cycles of NHS-funded IVF for eligible women under 41, and potentially three further cycles if the initial ones are unsuccessful (see BioNews 1334). However, in England, funding for IVF services is decided by individual Integrated Care Boards, which often offer fewer cycles or restrict eligibility. PET's NHS Fertility Funding Tracker can be used to check what IVF services are offered by any ICB in England.

Clare Ettinghausen, director of strategy and corporate affairs at the HFEA, told the Independent that although the regulator does not control funding, 'we encourage those commissioning fertility services to review eligibility criteria and consider whether these have an adverse impact on access to treatments.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'The government recognises access to fertility treatment varies across the country and the difficulty this causes people trying to start a family.... We will continue to support the health service to make sure national guidance is followed and ensure fair access for all, no matter where they live.'

The figures also reveal persistent disparities in treatment funding and outcomes, particularly for black patients, same-sex female couples and single patients. The average birth rate per embryo transfer was around 30 percent for black and Asian patients aged 18 to 37, compared with 36 percent for their white counterparts. Black patients were also likely to be older when they started IVF treatment.

More female same-sex couples and single patients were also found to be accessing fertility treatment, with nearly one in five IVF births now involving donor eggs, sperm or embryos. However, both groups remain less likely than opposite-sex couples to receive NHS funding.

'The fertility sector has grown significantly over the past 30 years, yet disparities in access to, and outcomes of, treatment remain, and we will continue to highlight these through our data and ongoing call to action,' said Chain.