September 17, 2025
Why Your Neighbour Gets IVF—and You Don’t: Inside the NHS Fertility Divide
When it comes to having children, your address may matter more than your age, your health, or your fertility. In the UK, NHS-funded IVF isn’t guaranteed—it’s a postcode lottery.
Live in the right area, and you could receive multiple free treatment cycles. Live in the wrong one, and you might get nothing at all.
We examined fertility provision across NHS regions, analysing birth rates, funding decisions, eligibility barriers, and socioeconomic data.
The result? A fractured, deeply unfair system where geography, not medical need, decides who gets a chance at parenthood—and who doesn’t. For thousands, that means facing heartbreak and delay.
IVF Funding: A National System with Local Rules
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) sets overall guidance, but it’s up to individual Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to decide how many IVF cycles — if any — they’ll fund, and who qualifies.
This patchwork approach has led to what’s now known as the IVF postcode lottery.
Two families with identical fertility needs can face very different journeys depending on which side of a local border they live on.
Sources: [1], [2], [3]
Where You Live Matters: IVF Support by Region
We reviewed NHS-funded IVF provision across the UK, comparing:
- Number of IVF cycles offered
- Eligibility requirements (including age, BMI, relationship status, and previous children)
- Support for same-sex and single individuals
Mapping Inequality: Birth Rates vs IVF Support
We also cross-referenced birth rate data from the ONS 2023 report with IVF funding. Surprisingly, many regions with declining birth rates are also the ones cutting back on fertility support.
For example:
- North East England has one of the lowest birth rates in the UK, yet offers relatively strong IVF access.
- Yorkshire and the Humber, facing a population slowdown, has cut IVF cycles in some areas to just one.
- London, with more stable birth rates, continues to offer inconsistent support depending on the borough.
This suggests IVF policy may be driven more by local budgets than long-term demographic planning.
Deprivation vs Access: The Social Divide
Using the Index of Multiple Deprivation, we uncovered another layer of disparity.
Sources: [1], [3], [4], [5]
This inequality paints a bleak picture: those in lower-income areas, already more likely to face health challenges, are less supported when it comes to reproductive care.
What Does NHS IVF Cover?
A simplified look at what you might get, depending on your postcode.
NHS IVF Coverage: What Varies
Sources: [1], [6]
Equal Fertility Access: HSFC Responds to the Postcode Lottery Crisis
Clinic Offers Inclusive, Patient-First Care Amid Ongoing National Funding Disparities
As the postcode lottery in NHS-funded IVF treatment continues to limit access for thousands across the UK, leading fertility provider HSFC (Harley Street Fertility Clinic) is calling for greater equity and reaffirming its commitment to inclusive, patient-first care for all.
Recent data highlights stark inequalities: while patients in Scotland may receive up to three fully funded IVF cycles, many in parts of England are offered none, based solely on where they live.
This postcode-based disparity leaves many patients with few or no NHS options during one of the most emotionally vulnerable times of their lives.
Sources
[2]https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg9wzj1pjgo
[3]https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/access-support/nhs-funding/england/
[4]https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2019
