NHS funding for fertility treatment
NHS funding for fertility treatment is available for patients living in both East Sussex and West Sussex.
the Agora clinic is the largest provider of NHS fertility services in Sussex, offering all main types of fertility treatment.
Women in Sussex are treated the same when it comes to fertility access, whether they are in a heterosexual relationship, same sex relationship or single. This new policy became live on 1st November 2021. However as of 1st July 2025 the policy has been updated to reflect the number of funded IVF cycles.
The first step to securing NHS funding for fertility treatment is to see your GP.
You can access assisted fertility treatment through the NHS pathway. You must be registered with a GP in Sussex and see them first to be referred to an NHS Fertility Specialist Doctor in secondary care.
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For patients in a heterosexual relationship
You need to have been trying to conceive naturally for two years before you can be referred for infertility investigations. These can be carried out by the NHS fertility specialist doctor to find out why conceiving is not occurring naturally.
Once these investigations are complete, your fertility specialist can refer you for NHS IVF treatment at the Agora Clinic using your own eggs. However, you must meet the following NHS eligibility criteria:
- Age <43
- No living children in the current relationship
- BMI < 30 kg/m2
- Non-smoker including E-cigarettes (vaping)
- If their egg reserve test (AMH) is > 5.4pmo/l or above
If you meet these NHS eligibility criteria, you will be eligible for one round of IVF which includes one fresh transfer and one frozen transfer on the NHS if you are under 42 and 6 months at the time of referral.– (as recommended by NICE guidance).
If your partner has a significant fertility issue, for example no sperm, you can get funding for IVF with donor sperm.
If you have a premature menopause and their egg reserve is low, you can be referred for IVF using donor eggs.
Single women and same sex female couples
Sussex ICB will fund 6 cycles of donor sperm insemination at the Agora Clinic. If you do not conceive on this treatment you are then referred for 1 cycle of IVF with donor sperm.
Sussex ICB pays for the cost of treatment and the donor sperm.
In this pathway, you need to see your GP to be referred to a fertility specialist in the same way as a woman in a heterosexual relationship, and complete some basis fertility tests to check eligibility.
The eligibility criteria applies:
- Age <40
- No living children in the current relationship
- BMI < 30 kg/m2
- Non-smoker
- If their egg reserve test (AMH) is > 5.4pmo/l or above
- If you have had 6 failed DIUI cycles within a clinic or home setting
They can then be referred to the Agora Clinic for an initial course of donor sperm insemination treatment for up to 6 cycles. If you do not conceive you are then referred for 1 cycle of IVF treatment with donor sperm. If a fertility issue is identified when you complete your fertility screen, you will be referred straightaway for IVF treatment.
NHS funded fertility treatment eligibility for Trans people
Any trans or non-binary person who is about to start cross hormone treatment (or gender affirming hormone treatment) is eligible to be seen at the Agora Clinic to freeze their eggs or sperm.
This is called fertility preservation and is also offered to patients with cancer treatment who are about to start treatment that may affect their future fertility such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy
We have seen a rise in the number of trans persons being referred for fertility preservation mainly as a result of better awareness of the pathway.
NHS Funding and Storage Fees
Storage fees can be covered by NHS funding for patients undergoing medical treatment affecting fertility, e.g chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
In addition, the Integrated Care Board (ICB) in Sussex will fund fertility preservation if you are attending an NHS Gender Identity Clinic.
If your treatment is being funded by the National Health Service, please be aware that NHS funding for the storage of eggs, sperm and embryos will be discontinued when a birth is achieved.
In this situation, if you wish to continue to store your eggs, sperm or embryos, you will need to fund your storage fees privately.
If you do not wish to fund your storage fees privately, we will send you the relevant consent forms for you to complete to allow your embryos to perish.