Private private ECG cost in the UK: 2026 price guide

A private ECG records the heart electrical activity at rest, and is commonly requested for palpitations, chest discomfort, dizziness, before sport or surgery, or as part of a health check.

The range in the published self-pay lists for private ECG was £75 to £85. That spread reflects different hospitals, different variants and different ideas of what belongs in a package, so the table names each one.

Lists are revised from time to time and sit alongside conditions in the small print. The figures help you see where a quote falls, but they cannot replace your own estimate.

You lie down while sticky electrodes are placed on the chest and limbs, and the machine records for a few seconds. You need to be still and relaxed, and sometimes chest hair needs to be shaved for good contact.

A machine reading can be misleading, so ask whether a clinician reviews the trace. For sports or occupational purposes, ask whether the report meets the format required.

Two patients having the same operation or test can receive quite different bills. For private ECG, these are the factors that most often explain the gap.

• Stand-alone or bundled: an ECG is often a low-cost add-on to a consultation or health check, whereas a stand-alone ECG may carry a separate fee.

• Reporting: a cardiologist report is more costly than a machine reading, and sometimes essential for sports or occupational use.

• Provider: published ECG prices ranged from £75 to £85 in the lists we retrieved.

• Occupational medicals: some jobs require a formal ECG with report.

• Repeat or extended monitoring: if an ECG is normal but symptoms are occasional, longer monitoring is suggested.

Ask for the inclusions in writing. For this procedure the usual split between what is covered and what is charged on top looks like this.

Insurers usually cover an ECG on referral. Where the cost is low, many people simply self-pay.

Check whether your insurer recognises the exact procedure and the consultant you plan to see, and ask for any excess in writing. Self-funders can usually ask about finance, but terms depend on credit checks and should be read closely.

NHS ECGs are available through GP practices, urgent care and hospitals, and are free at the point of use.

Many people consider private care because of NHS waiting times, but the NHS route costs nothing at the point of use and the 18-week standard applies to non-urgent consultant-led pathways. Local performance varies.

There is no recovery, and you can leave immediately.

The risks below are the ones that can turn a quoted price into a larger bill, so ask how each would be dealt with.

• A single ECG can be normal even in people with heart rhythm problems, so intermittent symptoms may need prolonged monitoring.

• Chest pain with sweating, spreading to the arm or jaw, or collapse is an emergency; call 999.

Write the answers down as you go. These are the questions that tend to separate similar-looking quotes for this procedure.

• Is a clinician report included in the price?

• Can I have a copy of the trace?

• Is a consultation needed to explain the result?

• What would extended monitoring cost if symptoms are intermittent?

• Is every fee in the quote guaranteed, or could consultant and anaesthetist charges differ from the estimate on the day?