How much does a private hip replacement cost in the UK?

Is there an alternative to hip replacement surgery?

Since a hip replacement is a major operation, your consultant will likely explore other non-surgical treatments before recommending hip replacement surgery.

Steroid injections

Steroid injections reduce inflammation in the body, helping to reduce pain and swelling in your hip. They’re usually given in hospital, and the effects can last for a few months. Some will also include a local anaesthetic to provide pain relief.

You’ll generally only be able to have a limited number of injections in a year, so ask your consultant how many are suitable for you.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy treatment can help to increase mobility in your hip joint. You’ll typically undergo a course of treatment sessions initially. Your physiotherapist will also give you exercises to continue the process at home.

Are there different types of hip replacement surgery?

Our information relates mainly to the cost of a total hip replacement. However, this isn’t the only type of hip replacement surgery.

Total hip replacement

Total hip replacement surgery (also known as total hip arthroplasty) involves replacing your damaged hip joint with a prosthetic joint. It uses a metal stem and a metal or ceramic ball. The damaged bone is also removed to allow the new hip joint to be fitted.

Hip revision surgery

Hip revision surgery is used when you’ve already had hip replacement surgery, but the hip replacement has become worn out over time. A prosthetic joint can last for at least 15 years, but it can wear out over time. Hip revision can be complex as it involves removing bone and potentially reconstructing the joint. This can impact the success of the operation and your recovery time.

Hip resurfacing

Hip resurfacing is typically offered to people aged around 50 or younger. The main difference from a total hip replacement is that less bone is removed, as only the surface of the ball of the joint is replaced. It replaces the damaged surface of your hip with a cover that can help you achieve greater mobility post-surgery.

What happens during hip replacement surgery?

Your surgeon will talk you through the process before a hip replacement, but here’s our brief guide. The steps you need to take before and after surgery are similar regardless of the type of hip replacement surgery you have, so we’ll start with those first.

Before surgery

You’ll have some pre-operative checks, including blood tests, at the hospital when you should let your doctor know about your medical history and any medication you’re taking. It’s also important to look after your physical health at home. If you smoke, it’s a good idea to try and stop. Eat well and stay as active as you can.

Recovery

Straight after surgery, you’ll be taken to the recovery room to come round. You may have a drip delivering fluids and pain relief. While in hospital, you’ll see a physiotherapist who’ll give you exercises to help you start moving again. You’ll be able to go home as soon as your pain is well controlled and your medical team are happy with your mobility.

It may take several months to recover from a hip replacement, although many people return to work after about six weeks, depending on the type of work they do. You’ll be given support stockings to wear to prevent blood clots and deep vein thrombosis. Be cautious when you start resuming normal activities. Your doctor and physiotherapist will advise you on this.

What happens during a total hip replacement?

Hip replacement surgery can be done by using a general anaesthetic, where you’re asleep throughout the procedure, or using a spinal anaesthetic, where you’ll stay awake but won’t have any feeling in your lower body.

Your surgeon will cut the side of your hip and remove the damaged hip joint and any damaged thigh-bone. Then they’ll replace it with your new hip joint. The artificial joint can be fixed to the bone with cement, or it may have an adhesive coating. Finally, they’ll close the cut with stitches, staples or tape. The whole process takes about 1 to 2 hours.

What happens during hip resurfacing?

Most hip replacements are carried out using a spinal anaesthetic which numbs you from the waist down but lets you stay awake. If your anaesthetist thinks a general anaesthetic would be better they’ll discuss this with you.

During surgery, your surgeon will cut into the outside of your hip and then remove and clean the damaged joint surfaces. They’ll then place a cover onto the ball and socket joints. These may have a special coating which allows them to be stuck straight to the bone, or the surgeon will use acrylic cement to fix them in place. The operation will take about 1 to 2 hours.

The benefits of private hip replacement surgery

If you’ve been suffering from hip pain for a while, the main appeal of private hip surgery may be that you’re able to have it quickly. Private treatment certainly has a shorter waiting time, but that’s not the only benefit.

Avoiding NHS waiting lists

Waiting times for NHS hip replacement vary a lot, and many people wait months for treatment. The latest waiting list statistics show that at the end of August 2026 there were 843,419 waiting-list pathways for trauma and orthopaedic treatment in England, the specialty that includes hip replacement, and 61.1% of them had been waiting 18 weeks or less. Across all specialties, 113,339 pathways had been waiting more than 52 weeks. Whilst these figures don’t all relate to hip replacements, they show how long some people wait.

We spoke to Heather, who had private hip replacement surgery. She said,

“I waited almost a year for an NHS consultation but ended up paying for one... The consultant also works for the NHS and would have put me on the NHS list, but I’d have waited two years for surgery.”

A private room

Whether you have your hip replacement in a private hospital or as a private patient in an NHS hospital, you’ll be able to rest and recover in your own room rather than on the main ward.

Better facilities

If you opt for a private clinic, you may find yourself in surroundings that are more like a boutique hotel. You may have an en-suite bathroom, TV, and restaurant-quality food.

Continuity of care

In most cases you can choose your consultant whether you opt to have hip surgery with the NHS or privately. However, with a private hip operation, you’ll typically be seen by the same consultant throughout the process, rather than by someone else in their team.

Access to cutting-edge treatments

Private treatment providers typically use their revenue to invest in the latest equipment, drugs, and treatments to benefit their patients. You may find their hip replacements are carried out using new technologies, including robotics or minimally invasive surgery, although these approaches are not suitable for everybody.

How much will a private hip replacement cost?

The average cost of private hip replacement surgery in the UK is from £16,165 (November 2026), and most hospitals charge between £13,344 and £18,126. These prices include the first consultation. Whilst this will give you a rough guide to the price you might expect to pay for your new hip, you’ll probably find that the cost of your hip surgery will vary depending on where you are in the country.

How much difference does location make to the cost of hip replacement surgery?

A dash (–) means fewer than 10 hospitals in that region publish prices, so no range is shown. Northern Ireland and the North East are left out because fewer than five hospitals there publish hip replacement prices. London figures (†) lean towards outer-London prices: only 34 of London’s 102 private hospitals publish prices, and most premium central London hospitals quote on request.

Prices differ between regions, so it can be worth asking hospitals in a nearby city for a quote as well as your local one.

Why does the cost of private hip replacements vary?

There are a lot of different factors that impact the cost of a private hip replacement. These include:

• Location: where you’re treated can make a difference to the cost of your hip surgery, as the regional table above shows.
• Equipment costs: Whilst access to cutting-edge treatments is a real benefit in private hip replacements, it also means that your hospital needs to pay a higher cost to invest in the latest equipment.
• Medication: After NHS surgery, your hip pain is likely to be managed by conventional painkillers. However, a private provider may use newer medicines, which can add to the cost.
• Your chosen consultant: Consultant orthopaedic surgeons invest in ongoing training and gain more experience over time. If the person carrying out your hip surgery is highly experienced, you may pay more for their expertise.
• Staffing: Your treatment doesn’t just involve a surgeon; it involves a whole team of medical professionals. If you’re being treated in an area with a higher cost of living, their fees will be higher too.
• Facilities costs: Rent, business rates and the costs of utilities will all vary depending on the hospital’s location.
• Insurance: Hip surgery can be risky, so every hospital needs insurance in case something goes wrong. Your surgeon may also have their own insurance, which will influence their fee.
• Information technology: Every hospital needs phones, computers and a way to safely store your data.
• Profit: Most private healthcare providers are businesses that need to look after their shareholders. While some are not-for-profit, most will factor in some profit to the cost of your surgery.

Whichever hospital you choose, it helps to know what a quote covers. Most providers will give you a fixed price quote if you’re paying for your own surgery in the UK, so you know what to expect. It’s important to check quotes carefully as different providers include different elements. You might think that one quote seems expensive but find that it includes more follow-up appointments, other treatments and rehabilitation. Some surgeons may quote the cost of replacing both hip joints, while others will start with one hip only.

What’s included in the cost?

The medical treatment costs that are included in your quote will vary with different hospitals and insurance providers.

Initial consultation

When you decide to explore the possibility of private hip replacement surgery, you may already have had an appointment with an NHS consultant, which allows you to be referred for a private hip replacement straight away. The typical prices in this guide include the first consultation, but check whether your quote does.

Diagnostic tests and scans

If you go to a private appointment having already had scans and x-rays, your treatment provider will be able to refer to these, so they aren’t usually included. If you need scans or x-rays, you’ll typically need to pay for them separately.

Assessments before surgery

You’ll need to have some assessments and tests before you have surgery to assess whether you’re fit enough to have the operation and to determine what type of anaesthetic you need. These are typically included in the price.

Surgery

Your surgery costs, including the surgeon’s fee, anaesthetist’s fee and the hip implant itself, will all be included.

Hospital costs

The costs of your stay in the hospital, including your room and food, are typically included.

Treatment after surgery

The costs of your medication and nursing care whilst you’re still in hospital are all included. Most providers will also include the cost of any medication that you need to take home with you.

Rehabilitation and aftercare

After your hip replacement, you’ll need to have rehabilitation treatment and follow-up care to ensure you’re making a good recovery. This varies depending on the provider, with some offering unlimited aftercare whilst others don’t include any follow-up, discharging you to the care of your GP. It’s also worth checking whether the quote covers the cost of further surgery should you need it. Rehabilitation and aftercare are important considerations and can make a real difference to the cost, so it is important to check to see what’s included.

Where you can have your private hip replacement surgery

In most cases, if your GP refers you for NHS treatment, you have a legal right to choose the hospital or service and the consultant-led team, and with private healthcare you choose where you’re treated and by whom.

In a private hospital

Many private hospitals belong to a larger group, and each of the leading health insurers has its own list of hospitals its policies let you use. If you have health insurance, check which hospitals your insurer covers. Otherwise, you can prioritise a hospital close to home or one with the best record for hip replacements.

You’ll usually find high-quality facilities, hotel-style rooms and restaurant-standard food.

As a private patient in an NHS hospital

If you’ve had your initial consultation via the NHS, you may find that your consultant orthopaedic surgeon also works privately. You could opt to pay to have your operation at the same hospital and with the same surgeon, as you would have done with the NHS.

Choosing this option can mean you are treated more quickly, and it can be cheaper than a private facility. You’ll also be able to stay in a separate room rather than in the main ward.

Related articles

What is NHS Right to Choose and how does it work?

Right to Choose lets you pick where you’re treated on the NHS, including private hospitals at no extra cost.

What are your options if you’re stuck on a waiting list?

NHS waiting times are long but you’re not without options. Here’s how to get treatment sooner.

Private hospitals in the UK: What are the main hospital groups?

A guide to the main private hospital groups.

Paying for private hip replacement surgery

If you have health insurance already, this is likely to be your best payment option. However, if your insurance doesn’t cover hip replacement surgery or you don’t have insurance, you can still access private treatment.

Self-pay

If you’re able to pay for your hip replacement out of your savings, most hospitals offer a self-pay option. You’ll be able to pay for an initial appointment and get a fixed price quote for your hip replacement surgery.

Medical loan

If you need a self-pay option but aren’t able to pay the full price in one go, many providers allow you to spread the cost with a medical loan. Many private hospital groups offer loans through finance partners, sometimes with an interest-free period at the start.

Private medical insurance

If you already have private medical insurance, it can be the simplest way to pay for hip replacement surgery, depending on your policy’s cover. You may still need to see your GP for a diagnosis, but once your need for treatment has been confirmed, your GP can refer you for your private hip replacement.

Can I take out health insurance to cover my hip surgery?

Health insurance is designed to cover new conditions that arise after you’ve taken out cover, which means that any pre-existing conditions are usually excluded. Unfortunately, this means that if you’ve already seen your GP about pain in your hip or if you’re on a waiting list for a hip replacement, you won’t be able to take out insurance to cover the cost.

Where to get more information about the cost of your private hip replacement surgery

If you’re considering paying for your surgery, private healthcare providers’ websites are a good place to start. You can look for providers who run hospitals in your area and contact them for further information. Of course, that isn’t your only option, so we’ve listed a few alternatives below.

Private healthcare providers in the UK

These are some of the main private healthcare providers with their own private hospitals. HCA’s hospitals are in London, Birmingham and Manchester; the other providers have hospitals across the UK, so you can find one that’s local.

• Spire Healthcare
• HCA
• Nuffield Health
• Circle Health Group (formerly BMI)
• Ramsay Health Care

Speak to a private medical insurance provider

Some health insurers offer a self-pay option even if you don’t have private health insurance.

Speaking to a private medical insurance provider before taking out a policy or undergoing treatment can help answer any questions about costs.

Speak to your NHS consultant

If you feel comfortable with the consultant orthopaedic surgeon you’ve seen via the NHS, talk to them about the possibility of having private treatment with them and what the costs would be.

At myTribe, our guides are designed to give you a better understanding of private healthcare and how it can work for you. We hope this guide has helped you to understand how you could have your hip replacement surgery privately and where you can find further information.