Free NHS Health Check: eligibility and how to book

The programme is for people aged 40–74 who are not already in certain monitoring groups. Exclusions include heart disease, stroke, transient ischaemic attack, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, peripheral arterial disease and familial hypercholesterolaemia. Cholesterol-lowering medicine such as a statin, or a previous cardiovascular risk estimate of 20% or more over ten years, can also exclude you. Check the complete NHS eligibility list.

Being outside this programme does not mean there is no NHS route to discuss your health. Ask your usual care team which review is appropriate. If you already have a condition being monitored, take that question to the team responsible for it instead of trying to book a duplicate check under a different name.

Eligible people should be invited every five years. If you have not heard, contact your GP practice; if it does not provide checks, your council can explain where to book. The service is commissioned locally in England. Read the NHS booking guidance and NHS England’s explanation of local provision.

For example, after moving house you might be unsure whether a previous check is recorded at your new practice. Give the approximate date and location if you know them, then ask whether another check is due. There is no need to begin with a paid appointment simply because you cannot find an invitation letter.

The NHS describes a check lasting about 20–30 minutes, usually including body measurements, blood pressure and cholesterol, with a blood sugar test where relevant. The discussion focuses on cardiovascular risk. See what normally happens at the appointment.

When you book, ask what preparation the provider requires and whether any part of the appointment happens separately. Do not infer fasting instructions from another person’s check or from a private testing package. Follow the instructions for your own appointment and ask if they are unclear.

A useful way to prepare is to write down the health question you hope to discuss. If that question concerns a new symptom, tell the practice rather than relying on a preventive check to answer it. This appointment has a defined purpose and cannot stand in for every type of clinical assessment.

The numbers are useful when you understand what they mean for you. Ask the professional to explain the result in ordinary language and distinguish something to act on now from something to review later.

• What does this result tell me, and what does it not tell me?
• Is another appointment or test being suggested?
• Who will arrange it, and how will I hear about it?
• Which local support services could I discuss?
• Can I have a copy of the results and agreed next steps?

Keep the plan somewhere you can find it. If you use more than one healthcare provider, ask how the result will reach your usual practice. A memorable score is less useful than knowing who is responsible for the follow-up.

Before paying for a private “health MOT”, ask the provider to state the question its package is designed to answer and how results will be interpreted. An extra test count does not tell you whether the service matches your concern. Compare the assessment, explanation and follow-up, not a list length.

Browse healthcare information for other NHS starting points, or use Find care. If you need a local GP, see registration in England. People living elsewhere in the UK should begin with our national healthcare guide because this programme is specific to England.