Private custom orthotics (insoles) cost in the UK: 2026 price guide

Private custom orthotics are insoles made from an assessment and cast or scan of your feet, prescribed by a podiatrist or physiotherapist for foot, ankle, knee or back problems that relate to how you walk.

Providers rarely publish one standard price for custom orthotics (insoles), and we found no list we could verify, so this page avoids quoting a figure. The sections below show what moves the price and how to get comparable written quotes.

After assessing your walking and foot shape, the clinician takes a cast, foam impression or 3D scan, then orders the orthotics. You return for fitting and adjustments.

Ask what the evidence is for your condition and when you should expect to feel a benefit.

Orthotics are prescribed for conditions such as plantar heel pain, flat feet, bunions and some knee and back pain linked to how the foot loads. A good assessment checks how you stand, walk and wear your shoes before deciding whether an insole is likely to help.

Off-the-shelf insoles help some people and cost far less, so it is sensible to try a well-fitted prefabricated pair first for mild problems. Custom devices are best reserved for people with significant deformity or when simpler measures have failed.

If two quotes for custom orthotics (insoles) differ, the reasons are usually found in the list below rather than in the headline name of the procedure.

• Assessment and gait analysis: a biomechanical assessment is often charged separately.

• Type of orthotic: prefabricated, semi-custom and fully custom devices differ in materials and manufacture.

• Number of pairs: sports, work and everyday shoes may need different pairs.

• Review and adjustment: follow-up visits to adjust fit.

• Practitioner and clinic.

Before comparing totals, compare contents. These are the lines most often included, and the ones most often added afterwards.

Insurers rarely cover custom orthotics, though a physiotherapy or podiatry benefit may sometimes contribute.

Authorisation from the insurer before the date is the safest course, and it is worth asking what happens if the plan changes on the day. Self-pay patients may be able to spread the cost, though any finance is a credit agreement.

NHS podiatry provides orthoses to eligible patients, but access is limited to defined clinical need.

The NHS sets an 18-week standard from referral to treatment for non-urgent consultant-led care, and in England you have a legal right to choose a provider. Waiting times differ by area and specialty, so ask your GP or the provider about current local waits rather than relying on a national average.

There is a break-in period of days to weeks as the feet adapt.

Complications are uncommon for most patients, yet a quote should say what happens if something does not go to plan.

• Orthotics help some people and not others, and evidence is mixed for some conditions, so ask what improvement to expect and when to review.

• Persistent foot pain, swelling or numbness should be assessed medically.

A lower headline figure can hide extras. Use these questions to make quotes for this procedure comparable.

• Is the assessment included in the price?

• What type of orthotic do you recommend and why?

• How many adjustments are included?

• What results can I realistically expect?

• Which fees are fixed in the written quote, and which, such as consultant or anaesthetist fees, might be billed separately?