Cheshire And Merseyside Integrated Care Board

England. NHS-funded fertility treatment guidance and eligibility criteria.

Confirmed
Areas covered

Cheshire East, Cheshire West and Chester, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Warrington, Wirral

Including neighbourhoods: Bebington, Birkenhead, Bootle, Chester, Crewe, Crosby, Ellesmere Port, Formby, Heswall, Huyton, Kirkby, Macclesfield, Northwich, Prescot, Runcorn, Southport, Wallasey, Widnes

Summary

Cheshire And Merseyside Integrated Care Board currently funds 1 cycle of IVF for eligible patients. To qualify, you generally need to be under 42, have a BMI between 19 and 29.9, have no living children from any relationship. Both partners must be non-smokers.

IVF/ICSI

NHS-funded cycles
1 Full
Age Range
Up to 42
BMI requirement
19 to 29.9
IUI cycles required before IVF
12
Smoking
Non-smoker required
Endometriosis
Standard
Children from previous relationships
No living children from a current or any previous relationship (applies to both partners; adopted children count as biological).
Additional Notes
1 cycle for women under 40. 1 cycle for women aged 40-42 provided no previous IVF, no low ovarian reserve, and cycle commences before 43rd birthday. Same-sex couples/single women must complete 6 self-funded and 6 NHS-funded IUI cycles (12 total) before IVF. Reversal of sterilisation is not funded. Single embryo transfer is standard. [ICSI: Routinely funded for severe deficits in semen quality, or obstructive/non-obstructive azoospermia. Inherits IVF age and cycle criteria: 1 cycle max. Same-sex/single women must complete 12 IUI cycles before IVF/ICSI is considered.]

Funding varies by postcode

NHS IVF funding varies significantly across the UK. Depending on which health board your GP is registered with, you may be entitled to a different number of cycles — or different criteria may apply. If you haven't already, it's worth exploring the map to understand the full picture.

See the funding map

What next?

I think I may be eligible. What do I do now?I'm not sure I'm eligible, or I don't think I am