Costs of youth gender care in England

As wait lists lengthen in England's public health care system, some young people are turning to paid private providers. The NHS has a small prescription charge but no fee for the medication itself. One mother, Rose, said she had paid more than £3,500 ($4,300) for her daughter's private gender treatment so far, including the initial consultations, ongoing counseling, and puberty-blocking drugs.

By contrast, here are the fees charged by the online provider, GenderGP: Initial sign-up to the service: £195, with a £30 monthly payment for as long as the patient uses the service

Compulsory intake session at the start of treatment: £65 Compulsory follow-up sessions to check how a patient is doing physically and mentally, every six months: £30

Testosterone gel: from £40 a month if obtained privately – GenderGP only provides prescriptions, which can be filled either privately or by the NHS Estrogen: from £28 for a three-month supply as a gel, or £12 for the same period for tablets

Puberty blockers: from £270 for an injection lasting three months if a patient can find a professional to help them administer the jab, or from £70 a month for nasal spray Blood tests: Essential every three months once a patient is on hormone treatment, costs vary – can be provided on NHS or from £50 at private clinics

Optional: counseling sessions for patients and family also offered 

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