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Specialist mental health · UK

Residential addiction rehab - consultant-led, done properly.

Consultant-led residential addiction treatment - medically supervised detox, structured therapy programme, and a written step-down plan into aftercare - for alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, cocaine and behavioural addictions.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What private residential addiction rehab costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our vetted UK network.

In short

£8,000–£25,000 per month, medically supervised detox included.

Option Indicative range
Assessment call (consultant psychiatrist / addiction lead) £300–£600
Medically supervised detox (7–14 days) £4,500–£12,000
Residential rehab (per week) £2,000–£6,000
Standard 28-day residential programme £8,000–£25,000
Extended 12-week programme £24,000–£70,000
Structured aftercare (12 months) £1,800–£4,500
Family programme (2–3 day workshop) £450–£950

Prices vary by clinic, by the consultant’s seniority, and by whether combinations are used.

The problem

A safe detox and a real programme, not a spa with talks.

Reputable residential rehab combines medical detox, a structured evidence-based therapy programme, and 12 months of aftercare. Anything less is a holiday.

  • Consultant, not delegated

    The consultant who assessed you should be the consultant who treats you - not a junior on a busy list.

  • Evidence, not sales

    The recommendation is what fits your clinical picture - not what the clinic wants to sell you today.

  • Written pathway, not verbal promise

    The plan, the prices and the follow-up are in writing before you commit - not surfaced when the invoice arrives.

Who it suits

When residential rehab is the right choice.

The patients who benefit most from residential care, and when a community programme is a better fit.

  • You have thought about this for a while

    Not an impulse - a decision you have carried and want to act on properly.

  • You want the right treatment, not the fastest

    You want to be seen by a consultant who does this every week, not the next available diary slot.

  • You have tried the obvious first steps

    GP care, over-the-counter routes, or first-line therapy - and the problem is still there.

  • You are otherwise well enough to proceed

    Stable on medication, not acutely unwell, not in a flare that would postpone treatment.

  • You are willing to follow the plan

    Attend the follow-up, take the medicines, do the physio - whichever this treatment needs to work.

  • You are prepared for the recovery

    You have thought about time off work, help at home and - where relevant - the cost of ongoing care.

  • You want a named consultant, not a rotating list

    The person who assesses you should be the person who treats you and reviews you afterwards.

  • Red flag: you were declined elsewhere and asked us to override

    If another consultant has said no on medical grounds, we will not route round that. We will explain why.

Options

Detox only, 28-day residential, or extended programme.

The three routes we most often arrange, and how each fits addiction severity.

  • Assessment and shared decision

    A full consultant hour and honest expectations conversation - the difference between a treatment that suits you and one that only suits the clinic.

  • First-line treatment

    What most patients start with, and what most get on with well.

  • Course-based or staged treatments

    Some treatments deliver over three to six visits or in stages.

  • Combined modality

    The strongest outcomes often come from combining approaches - medical, procedural and behavioural. We plan across the year, not the visit.

  • Maintenance

    Most conditions need ongoing care after the initial treatment. We build this into the plan up front so you know the real commitment.

  • Alternatives to consider

    Where a different treatment might suit better, we say so - including newer or older options that the marketing does not push.

  • Escalation pathway

    What happens if this treatment does not work - the next option, in writing, before you start.

  • When to say no or refer

    For patients who fall outside criteria, the usual approach is referral to the right specialist or back to NHS care rather than treatment regardless.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Consultant-led private care is generally low-risk. The things worth planning are candidacy, dose or intensity, downtime and what happens if something is not right.

  • A named UK consultant, in a CQC-regulated setting

    The consultant who assessed you should be the consultant who treats you. That single change removes most of the safety problems patients tell us about.

  • Realistic outcomes, spelled out

    What this treatment can and cannot do - and what happens if it does not work. If you are hoping for something this treatment cannot deliver, we say so before you book.

  • Written pre-care and aftercare

    What to do before, on the day, and after - including medication changes, contraindications and warning signs. In writing and by message, not verbally in a corridor.

  • Rare but serious risks

    Every treatment has its own list. The consultant discusses them at consent - not glossed, not exaggerated. You take those notes home.

  • Contraindications matter

    Pregnancy, active infection, uncontrolled cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression, bleeding tendency and drug interactions - all reasons to postpone. We ask, and we listen.

  • A same-day contact number

    Written aftercare plus a phone number that answers on the day. Complications improve dramatically with early intervention, and hard to reach clinics cost lives.

  • Included follow-up

    The review appointment is booked before you leave - included in the pathway price, not billed separately when something is not right.

  • Escalation to hospital where needed

    Any private pathway has to have a plan for when things escalate - which hospital, which team, and how to get there.

  • Written record and second opinion

    You leave with the record, the images and the plan - enough for another consultant to pick up if you ever want a second opinion.

Reading your treatment record

Your treatment record in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever pathway you chose, the record the clinic sends you keeps to the same shape.

A consultant reviewing a treatment record

A quiet reminder

Keep every note, batch and image on file - it matters if you ever need a second opinion.

If you would like us to review a record from another clinic before your next visit, just ask.

  1. 01 Assessment

    What was recommended and why

    The consultant’s written note - history, examination, differential and the plan agreed with you. Read this alongside the pathway.

  2. 02 Procedure / Treatment

    What was actually done

    The named procedure, materials, medicines and settings used. Keep this - it matters for future care and for any second opinion.

  3. 03 Findings

    What was found or measured

    Any pathology, imaging or intra-procedural findings. Written in plain English alongside the technical terms.

  4. 04 Plan

    Follow-up, medication, warning signs

    Read this first: when to come back, medication changes, what is normal, and what needs a same-day phone call.

Recognised by major UK insurers

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Insurance cover for this pathway varies by policy - some elements may be covered, others self-pay. Where NHS provision exists but is delayed, private care is the practical route.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about residential addiction rehab.

Quick answers on candidacy, safety, cost and outcomes.

  • What NHS options exist?

    NHS community drug and alcohol services are available in every ICB and provide detox, counselling and structured outpatient care. NHS residential rehab is very limited and generally requires local-authority funding, with long waits. Private residential care fills this gap.

  • What does private rehab cost in the UK?

    Roughly £8,000–£25,000 for a standard 28-day residential programme, all-inclusive of medically supervised detox, individual and group therapy, dietary and physical care, and a written aftercare plan. Longer extended programmes run £24,000–£70,000.

  • Is detox safe outside hospital?

    Alcohol and benzodiazepine detox can be medically dangerous and belong in a facility with 24-hour medical cover. Reputable UK rehabs have this. Home detox is only appropriate for a small subset of patients under community-team supervision.

  • How long is the programme?

    Standard is 28 days, extended is 12 weeks. Evidence supports longer stays for more entrenched addiction. What matters more is the aftercare - the 12 months following discharge are where relapse is either prevented or happens.

  • Is insurance likely to fund this?

    Some UK private medical insurers fund detox and a defined number of inpatient rehab days (Bupa, AXA, WPA on specific policies), but many exclude addiction - check your policy before you commit. Self-pay is common.

  • What happens after rehab?

    A structured 12-month aftercare plan - weekly relapse-prevention groups, individual therapy, medication where indicated (acamprosate, naltrexone, disulfiram for alcohol; buprenorphine or methadone for opioids), and family support. Rehab without aftercare has a high relapse rate.

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