A woman in Manchester, Vicky Lynnson, 41, has shared that she dedicates her entire Universal Credit and child benefits towards purchasing weight loss injections. Despite the financial commitment of £160 monthly on Mounjaro medication, Vicky has successfully shed three stone in five months, transitioning from a size 20 to a size 14.
Living in a council home costing £495 per month with her two young sons, Vicky’s monthly income of over £1,700, comprising Universal Credit, housing benefit, standard allowance, child support, and Child Benefit, necessitates careful budgeting to afford her weight loss treatment. Anticipating a significant price increase of up to 170% for Mounjaro, Vicky made the decision to stockpile the medication.
Expressing her perspective to The Sun, Vicky defended her choice, highlighting that she believes investing in Mounjaro is a more responsible use of funds compared to alternative expenses. Vicky started relying on Universal Credit post-separation from her children’s father and faces a considerable cost escalation for her 12.5mg Mounjaro dose, resulting in an extra annual expense of £2,496.
While allocating 15% of her Universal Credit towards Mounjaro may seem substantial, Vicky stresses the importance of prioritizing her health and weight management journey that has been a lifelong struggle. To afford the medication, she had to utilize all her Universal Credit reserves last month and has even resorted to selling secondhand clothes on Vinted.
Despite the financial strain, Vicky firmly believes that her improved health and happiness as a result of the weight loss injections make her a more effective parent. As the price hikes loom, concerns arise about the long-term affordability of Mounjaro, prompting users to explore alternative options like Wegovy, especially with indications that it offers a comparable solution at a more affordable price point.
Research indicates that Mounjaro and Wegovy have shown significant reductions in body weight for individuals with obesity, with Wegovy presenting a slightly lower but still effective outcome. Jason Murphy, Head of Pharmacy at Chemist4U, emphasized the increasing interest in Wegovy as a viable alternative to Mounjaro due to its cost-effectiveness.
As the landscape of weight loss medication evolves, individuals like Vicky face financial challenges in sustaining their preferred treatments, prompting a shift towards more economically feasible options like Wegovy.