We call on the UK Government to review and update NHS fertility treatment criteria to ensure consistent and equitable access to NHS-funded fertility treatment for same-sex couples across all regions.

Statement:
Access to NHS-funded fertility treatment is currently inconsistent across the UK and can place additional requirements on same-sex couples. Access to treatment should also support equal opportunity for both partners in a couple to participate in the process of building their family.

In England, eligibility criteria are set by local NHS bodies (Integrated Care Boards), guided by recommendations from NICE. However, these criteria are applied differently depending on location.

In many areas, same-sex female couples are required to complete multiple cycles of privately funded intrauterine insemination (IUI) before becoming eligible for NHS-funded IVF. This is often used to demonstrate “subfertility.” Requirements can vary, but may involve funding several cycles privately. For example, some couples report being quoted around £6,500 for three cycles of IUI, with costs increasing significantly if more cycles are needed.
This means same-sex female couples may be required to pay to access treatment before qualifying for NHS support, whereas opposite-sex couples are not required to incur equivalent upfront costs.

As same-sex couples cannot attempt to conceive together without medical assistance, this may create a financial barrier that does not apply in the same way to opposite-sex couples, who may be eligible for NHS treatment after a period of trying to conceive naturally.

Access to IVF treatment also varies. While NICE recommends up to three IVF cycles for eligible individuals under 40, many areas offer fewer funded cycles. Greater clarity and consistency around the number of cycles available would help ensure fairer access.

Some treatment options, such as reciprocal IVF (shared motherhood), where one partner provides the egg and the other carries the pregnancy, are rarely funded on the NHS and are typically only available privately. This form of treatment can allow both partners to be physically involved in the process of creating and carrying a child, which is an important aspect of family building for many same-sex couples. Expanding access to a wider range of fertility treatments would better reflect the needs and experiences of modern families.

Eligibility criteria may also take into account whether an individual already has a child from a previous relationship. This can affect people who are now in same-sex relationships and wish to start a family with their current partner, but may not meet the criteria.

Overall, access to fertility treatment varies significantly depending on where people live in the UK, with different rules and criteria applied. We believe this should be more consistent, so that everyone is assessed under the same principles regardless of location.

Family structures in the UK have changed significantly in recent years, with more same-sex couples choosing to start families. We believe fertility policies should reflect modern society and provide fair and equitable access to treatment for all.

The NHS aims to provide care based on clinical need. We believe reviewing current fertility criteria would help ensure this principle is applied consistently.

We ask the Government to review existing policies and take steps to ensure that access to fertility treatment is fair, consistent, and based on need rather than location or relationship type.