The short answer
The cost of medical cannabis in the UK breaks down into three predictable categories: the consultation fees (initial plus follow-ups), the medication itself, and any pharmacy admin or delivery charges. Typical UK patients pay between £150 and £400 in the first month covering consultations plus a first dispense, and between £150 and £300 a month thereafter for medication and reviews.
Three lines on the bill: consultation, follow-ups, medication. Anything more than that, and you’re being charged for something you don’t need.
What’s on the bill
1. The initial consultation
Typically £99–£150 across the market. Some clinics, including Xen Health, offer the first consultation complimentary as a way of removing the financial risk of finding out whether you’re a candidate.
If a clinic charges for an eligibility check before any consultation, that’s a flag. The check is a triage step, not a clinical service.
2. Follow-up consultations
Typically £50–£100 per appointment. The frequency tapers: monthly for the first three months while your plan is being titrated, then quarterly once it’s settled.
Some clinics bundle follow-ups into a subscription. Others charge per appointment. Both are legitimate models — the question to ask is what happens if you skip a month or want to pause.
3. The medication itself
This is where the variation gets significant. Cannabis-based medicines in the UK range from around £7 per gram for some flower products up to £15–20 per gram for premium imports, and from £60 per 10 ml for some oils up to £200+ for high-strength formulations.
Most patients use 30–60 grams of flower per month or one to two 10–30 ml oils. So a realistic monthly medication cost sits between £150 and £300 for most plans.
What drives the variation between clinics
- Subscription vs pay-as-you-go. Subscription clinics typically charge £50–£100 a month covering unlimited consultations, with medication on top. PAYG charges per appointment.
- Pharmacy markups. The same product can vary by 20–40% between pharmacies.
- Specialist seniority. Consultations with a consultant (10+ years) are typically priced higher.
What clinics shouldn’t charge for
- Eligibility check fees. It’s a triage step, not a clinical service.
- Sign-up or membership fees on top of consultation fees.
- Records-request charges for requesting your GP records under UK GDPR. UK GDPR makes this a free patient right.
- Cancellation fees for the first complimentary consultation.
If you have to read the small print twice to understand the bill, that’s the problem. Pricing should fit on a postcard.
NHS, insurance, and reimbursement
NHS prescriptions exist in principle but are extremely rare. NICE has approved cannabis-based medicines for specific indications only — Epidyolex (severe paediatric epilepsy), Sativex (MS spasticity), Nabilone (chemotherapy-induced nausea).
Most UK private health insurance policies do not cover medical cannabis. A few specialist policies and some employer-funded health benefits do, particularly where the licensed alternatives are also covered. Worth checking your policy schedule, but don’t budget on it.
What it costs at Xen Health
Your first consultation at Xen Health is complimentary. Follow-up consultations and prescriptions are charged transparently — pricing is shared in writing before any appointment is booked. There’s no membership fee, no subscription pressure, and no surprise charges. We use Blenheim Pharmacy as our dispense partner.
How Xen Health fits in
If cost has been the thing keeping you from finding out whether medical cannabis is appropriate, the complimentary first consultation removes that. There’s no obligation to continue.
This article is for general information. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for a consultation with a qualified specialist. Whether medical cannabis is appropriate for any individual is a clinical decision that rests with the prescribing doctor on the basis of medical history and a full assessment.