How Much Does Private Treatment Cost in the UK? Indicative Prices for 25 Common Procedures
Indicative 2026 self-pay prices for 25 common private procedures in the UK, from cataracts and hip replacements to MRI scans, plus what makes prices vary.
Private treatment in the UK can cost anything from a few hundred pounds for a scan to the high teens of thousands for a joint replacement, and the same operation can be quoted at very different prices by hospitals a few miles apart. That makes a single "price" for any procedure misleading. What you can do is know the realistic range, understand what pushes a quote towards the top or bottom of it, and ask the right questions so the figure you're given is the figure you actually pay. This guide sets out indicative 2026 self-pay prices for 25 of the most common private procedures and tests, explains what drives the differences, and shows you how to get an accurate quote.
How to read these prices
Every figure below is a range rather than a single number, and that's deliberate. The low end typically reflects high-volume specialist providers and hospitals outside London that publish fixed-price lists; the high end reflects the major private hospital groups, particularly in London and the South East, where guide prices run 20 to 30 per cent higher. Most people will be quoted somewhere in the middle.
The ranges are drawn from prices published in 2026 by the Private Healthcare Information Network, the official source of private healthcare pricing data, and from the self-pay price lists of hospital groups including Practice Plus Group, Nuffield Health and Circle Health Group, cross-checked against independent price guides. They were checked in October 2026. Prices change, so treat them as a guide to what's reasonable rather than a quote, and always confirm the current price with the provider.
Two things to keep in mind. First, prices are per procedure: cataract surgery is priced per eye, carpal tunnel release per hand, varicose vein treatment per leg, so double the figure if you need both sides, although many providers discount the second. Second, the initial consultation with a consultant, typically £150 to £300, is almost never included in a surgical package and is paid separately on the day.
Six things that move a quote towards the top or bottom of the range
What makes the price vary
Where you are
London and the South East typically run 20 to 30 per cent above the rest of the UK. Hospitals outside city centres often quote less.
Who treats you
Surgeons and anaesthetists usually set their own fees, so the same operation at the same hospital can cost more with a different consultant.
What's included
Consultation, scans, physiotherapy, extra nights and complications cover may sit inside or outside the package. Cheaper isn't always cheaper.
What's implanted
Premium cataract lenses, hip and knee implant types and mesh choices all change the price, sometimes by more than £1,000.
How it's done
Keyhole, laser-assisted and robotic techniques usually cost more than conventional surgery, and day-case procedures cost less than overnight stays.
Your own health
Other medical conditions can mean extra tests, a longer stay or a higher anaesthetic risk, and your fixed price is set after you've been assessed.
Eyes, bones and joints
Indicative UK self-pay prices, checked October 2026. Per-eye, per-hand and per-foot prices are for one side only.
| Procedure | Typical self-pay range (2026) | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Cataract surgery (per eye, standard lens) | £2,100 – £4,000 | Premium multifocal or toric lenses add roughly £500 to £1,500 per eye; laser-assisted surgery costs more |
| Hip replacement | £11,000 – £18,000 | Implant type, robotic assistance (adds £1,500 to £2,000), length of stay and how much physiotherapy is included |
| Knee replacement | £12,000 – £18,500 | As for hips; a partial (half) knee replacement is usually a little cheaper than a full one |
| Knee arthroscopy (keyhole) | £3,200 – £6,000 | What's done inside the joint, such as trimming cartilage or repairing the meniscus; day case or overnight |
| ACL reconstruction | £7,000 – £10,000 | Graft type, whether other repairs are done at the same time, and how much rehabilitation is included |
| Shoulder arthroscopy or decompression | £5,000 – £8,000 | Complexity; a rotator cuff repair typically runs £5,700 to £9,000 |
| Carpal tunnel release (per hand) | £2,000 – £3,500 | Open or keyhole technique; local or general anaesthetic; the second hand is often discounted |
| Bunion surgery (per foot) | £3,500 – £6,500 | Technique and whether plates or screws are used; both feet can sometimes be done together |
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General surgery, digestive and urology
Indicative UK self-pay prices, checked October 2026. Diagnostic tests are priced without biopsies unless stated.
| Procedure | Typical self-pay range (2026) | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Inguinal (groin) hernia repair | £2,500 – £4,500 | Open or keyhole repair, type of mesh, and whether one or both sides are repaired |
| Gallbladder removal (keyhole) | £6,000 – £8,600 | Day case or overnight stay; pre-operative scans are usually charged separately |
| Haemorrhoid surgery | £2,800 – £5,000 | Banding in clinic is far cheaper at £500 to £1,500; surgical removal sits at the top of the range |
| Gastroscopy (diagnostic) | £1,200 – £2,600 | Sedation, biopsies and laboratory analysis, and whether a results consultation is included |
| Colonoscopy (diagnostic) | £1,700 – £3,600 | As gastroscopy; removing polyps adds to the cost, and a combined gastroscopy and colonoscopy is often cheaper than two separate tests |
| Flexible cystoscopy (bladder examination) | £1,500 – £2,400 | Local anaesthetic in clinic at the low end; general anaesthetic or biopsy at the top |
| Vasectomy | £400 – £1,300 | A clinic procedure under local anaesthetic at the low end; a hospital procedure under general anaesthetic at the top |
| Adult circumcision | £1,800 – £3,000 | Type of anaesthetic and whether it's done in a clinic or hospital theatre |
| Prostate surgery (TURP) | £6,500 – £9,500 | Technique, with laser and water-jet alternatives often costing more; length of stay |
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ENT, gynaecology, veins and diagnostics
Indicative UK self-pay prices, checked October 2026. Scan prices are for a single body area without contrast dye.
| Procedure | Typical self-pay range (2026) | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Tonsillectomy (adult) | £2,200 – £4,000 | Adult tonsillectomy costs more than children's; overnight stay versus day case |
| Septoplasty | £3,200 – £5,500 | Whether sinus or turbinate surgery is done at the same time |
| Hysterectomy | £7,000 – £10,600 | Keyhole and vaginal approaches are cheaper than abdominal; whether ovaries are removed; length of stay |
| Varicose vein treatment (per leg) | £1,800 – £4,300 | Laser or radiofrequency ablation versus traditional stripping; foam injections start from around £700 |
| MRI scan (one area) | £250 – £730 | Number of areas scanned, contrast dye, and whether the radiologist's report is included; standalone clinics are usually cheaper than hospitals |
| CT scan (one area) | £350 – £900 | As MRI; CT needs a clinician's approval, which some providers arrange for you |
| Ultrasound scan (one area) | £150 – £350 | Area scanned and whether a consultant or sonographer performs it |
| Initial consultation | £150 – £300 | Higher in London; some fixed-price providers bundle a nurse assessment, bloods and an X-ray into a lower fee |
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What a fixed-price package usually covers, and what it doesn't
Most private hospitals quote self-pay surgery as a fixed-price package, confirmed after your consultation and any tests. It's worth being clear about what that normally means.
Usually included: the surgeon's and anaesthetist's fees, the operating theatre, your room and nursing care for the standard length of stay, standard medication while you're in hospital, and a set number of follow-up appointments. Some providers also include a defined number of physiotherapy sessions and cover for complications within a fixed period, commonly 30 days to six months.
Usually not included: the initial consultation, diagnostic tests such as MRI scans or blood tests needed before surgery, extra nights if your recovery takes longer, take-home medication beyond a short supply, physiotherapy beyond what's listed, and any treatment for complications outside the package terms.
Two traps to watch. A "from" price on a hospital website may exclude the consultant's fees entirely, which can add several thousand pounds to the headline figure. And where a hospital bills separately rather than as a package, you may receive three invoices, from the hospital, the surgeon and the anaesthetist, so ask upfront whether you'll get one combined price.
How to get an accurate quote
Indicative prices tell you whether a quote is reasonable. To get a figure you can rely on, follow these steps.
- Find out exactly what you need. If you've seen a GP or specialist, ask for the procedure name as it would appear on a price list, for example "laparoscopic cholecystectomy" rather than "gallbladder op". Hospital price lists use these names.
- Compare two or three providers before booking a consultation. Published guide prices are usually enough to rule out the expensive outliers, and consultations themselves cost money.
- Have the consultation, then ask for the price in writing. Fixed prices are only confirmed once a consultant has assessed you. Ask what's included, what isn't, how long complications cover lasts, and whether the price is guaranteed.
- Ask about paying in instalments. Most hospital groups offer finance, typically interest-free over ten to twelve months, with longer terms at around 10 per cent APR. This can make a large procedure manageable without insurance.
- Check the consultant as well as the hospital. Because consultants set their own fees, the same hospital can quote differently depending on who operates. PHIN publishes fee information for individual consultants.
You don't need a GP referral to enquire about private treatment or to book a consultation, though some providers will ask for one before surgery and your GP's notes will be useful. Self-Pay Health lets you search private providers near you by condition and postcode and compare them in one place, so you can see who offers your procedure locally before you start making calls.
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to the most commonly asked questions
Higher property, staffing and consultant costs feed through to prices, and demand is strong enough that hospitals don't need to compete as hard on price. Guide prices in central London typically sit at or above the top of the national range, often 20 to 30 per cent higher than hospitals in the Midlands or the North. Travelling an hour out of London for a routine procedure can save well over £1,000.
Not always. A lower headline price may exclude the consultant's fees, pre-operative tests, physiotherapy or complications cover that a higher-priced package includes. Compare what's included line by line, and ask each provider for a written breakdown before deciding.
No, you can book a private consultation directly. Some hospitals and consultants prefer a referral letter before surgery, and your GP records help the consultant understand your history, so it's worth telling your GP what you're doing. Scans such as MRI and CT normally need a clinician's referral, which many scanning providers can arrange.
Yes. Most of the major hospital groups offer finance through a third party, commonly interest-free over ten to twelve months and at around 10 per cent APR for longer terms, subject to a credit check. Some consultants and clinics also offer their own plans. Always check the total cost of credit before signing.
Most fixed-price packages include treatment for complications directly related to the surgery for a set period, often between 30 days and six months, provided you return to the same hospital. Anything outside that period or unrelated to the procedure is charged separately. Ask for the complications terms in writing before you book.
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