GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic merchant accounts UK

Legitimate GLP-1 weight-loss is run by registered online pharmacies and telehealth clinics, and even these are treated as high-risk by card schemes because of prescription-medicine MCC codes, high average order values, subscription billing and elevated chargeback and refund rates. Mainstream acquirers frequently decline or cap them. Specialist healthcare and pharmacy acquirers underwrite registered clinics at higher rates with a rolling reserve, and require proof of GPhC registration and prescriber credentials at onboarding. Grey-market GLP-1 sales without a pharmacy registration are not bankable and not something we will place.

Legal status (UK)

GLP-1 medicines (semaglutide, tirzepatide) are prescription-only and may only be supplied by a GPhC-registered pharmacy against a valid prescription, with prescribers on the appropriate professional register. Selling them outside that framework, or marketing prescription-only medicines to the public, is unlawful and an MHRA and GPhC enforcement matter.

Best way to take GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic payments (UK)

Our pick

MerchantHQ, specialist GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic broker and account team

Mainstream UK acquirers (SumUp, Square, Zettle, Dojo, Worldpay, Barclaycard) decline GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic at onboarding or terminate after launch. We hold a specialist panel of UK high-risk acquirers that underwrite it. As a broker we match you to the right one for your licence, volume and processing history, then stay on as your named UK account team for the life of the agreement.

The acquirer pays our commission on signup, so it costs you nothing on top, and we never sell your details on. We disclose the risk classification upfront so the right underwriter is approached from the start.

Get matched to a GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic acquirer

High-risk merchants are the most exposed to chargebacks, frozen funds and MATCH/TMF listings, and that is exactly what your MerchantHQ account team handles, for the life of the agreement.

How GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic placements work

GLP-1 and weight-loss clinic routes to specialist regulated-vertical acquirers matched per application rather than a published list. The right underwriter depends on your licence, volume and sub-category, so we approach it individually. We hold the relationships and disclose your risk classification upfront so the right acquirer is contacted from the start.

Typical pricing

Rate
2.8% to 4.5% blended
Settlement reserve
5% to 15% rolling reserve common

Watch outs

  • GPhC pharmacy registration and valid prescriber credentials must be verifiable; acquirers will not onboard without them.
  • No prescription-only-medicine advertising to the public; this is restricted under MHRA rules.
  • High order values plus subscription billing drive chargebacks; a clear consultation, consent and cancellation flow is essential.
  • Selling GLP-1 medicines without a pharmacy registration is unlawful and uninsurable; we place registered clinics only.
OM

Oliver Mackman

Director, MerchantHQ

Oliver leads MerchantHQ's terminal testing and acquirer comparison. With a background in UK commercial finance and merchant payments, he oversees terminal reviews, switching guidance and high-risk vertical mapping.

Last reviewed: 3 June 2026