Private residential addiction rehab - UK.
A medically supervised residential admission in a CQC registered unit, with a proper detox, real therapy, and a year of aftercare planned before you arrive. No judgement, no sales script, no rush.
Indicative pricing
What private residential rehab costs in the UK.
In short
A 28 day residential programme: £18,000–£45,000. A 90 day programme at a premium unit: £45,000–£95,000.
| Programme | Indicative range | Typical length | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28 day residential programme (standard) | £18,000–£30,000 | 4 weeks | Detox + therapy |
| 28 day at a premium facility | £30,000–£45,000 | 4 weeks | Private ensuite |
| 60 day programme (opiates or cocaine) | £30,000–£55,000 | 8–9 weeks | Extended therapy |
| 90 day programme (complex or relapse) | £45,000–£95,000 | 12–13 weeks | Full stabilisation |
| Medical detox only (7–14 days) | £6,000–£18,000 | 1–2 weeks | Inpatient |
| Weekly rate at premium units | £4,500–£12,000 | Per week | All inclusive |
| Aftercare year (group + alumni) | Varies by unit | 52 weeks | Weekly session |
| Assessment only | £250–£450 | 45–60 min | Same visit |
Weekly rates in premium UK facilities run from around £4,500 to £12,000. Standard units are less. NHS-funded residential rehab exists via local authority commissioning but waits are usually long and beds are scarce.
Programme length
How long is long enough?
The right length depends on the substance, the pattern of use, whether this is a first attempt or a relapse, and what mental health sits alongside.
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28 days - standard
A full medical detox and four weeks of structured therapy. Suitable for alcohol dependence, cannabis, and many first admissions where there is a supportive home to go back to.
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60 days - opiates or cocaine
Recommended when the substance is opiates or cocaine, both of which have longer psychological withdrawal windows and higher early-relapse rates.
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90 days - complex or relapse
For serious dual diagnosis, repeated relapse, benzodiazepine cases needing slow tapers, or where home life is not stable enough to hold a shorter stay.
Addictions treated
Alcohol and drugs are the commonest reasons people seek residential rehab. But gambling, compulsive sexual behaviour and cross-addiction are treated on the same footing, and often need it.
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Alcohol use disorder
The commonest reason people seek residential rehab. Home detox is unsafe past a moderate dependence, and residential care is often the right call.
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Opiate and painkiller dependence
Heroin, but also tramadol, codeine, morphine and oxycodone. Painkiller dependence after surgery is far commoner than people realise.
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Cocaine and crack cocaine
Powder and crack. Cocaine tends to need longer programmes because the psychological grip outlasts the physical clearance.
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Cannabis
Higher-strength cannabis and heavy daily use cause real dependence, sleep collapse and anxiety on stopping. Rehab is a valid option.
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Benzodiazepines and z-drugs
Diazepam, alprazolam, zopiclone. Withdrawal can be dangerous and slow, and a proper taper needs medical supervision.
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Gambling disorder
Recognised as an addiction on the same footing as substances. A small number of UK residential units run dedicated gambling programmes.
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Sex, porn and love addiction
Compulsive sexual behaviour is an accepted clinical diagnosis. Treated in dedicated tracks and often alongside other addictions.
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Cross-addiction and dual diagnosis
Depression, trauma, ADHD and eating disorders often sit under the addiction. A good unit treats both, not one or the other.
Programme components
What actually happens inside a residential programme.
A properly built programme layers medical safety, psychological therapy, group work and family support - and treats the aftercare year as the main event.
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Medical detox (7–14 days)
Supervised withdrawal from alcohol, opiates or benzodiazepines. Medication, observations, bloods, and 24 hour nursing cover. The safety layer under everything else.
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Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Structured work on triggers, thought patterns and high-risk situations. The best evidenced psychological therapy for substance use disorders.
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Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
Emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal skills. Especially useful for people with impulsivity, self-harm or trauma alongside the addiction.
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12-step facilitation
Introduction to AA, NA, CA and GA principles. Not required, not imposed, but offered as one of several long-term recovery frameworks.
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Motivational interviewing
A collaborative style used across the programme to build your own reasons for change rather than lecturing you into it.
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Family therapy
Sessions with partners, parents or adult children. Addiction rarely happens to one person alone, and family repair is often part of staying well.
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Group process and psychoeducation
Daily group work with peers, plus teaching sessions on relapse, physiology, medication and mental health. The core of the residential day.
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Relapse prevention and aftercare (1 year)
A written plan, a year of weekly aftercare groups, alumni networks and mutual-aid meetings. The bit that decides whether the twenty-eight days holds.
What to look for
Choosing a unit, and why.
Checklist
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CQC registered residential units with 24 hour medical and nursing cover
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Consultant psychiatrist input, not therapy-only houses masquerading as rehab
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Dedicated medical detox protocols for alcohol, opiates and benzodiazepines
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A year of structured aftercare included, not sold separately after discharge
Medical detox
Supervised withdrawal, done properly.
Detox is the safety layer under the therapy. For alcohol, opiates and benzodiazepines it must be medically supervised - home detox from any of these can be dangerous and, in some cases, fatal.
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Alcohol detox: chlordiazepoxide and Pabrinex
A tapering benzodiazepine regime plus high-dose parenteral thiamine (Pabrinex) protects against seizures, delirium tremens and Wernicke encephalopathy.
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Opiate detox: methadone or buprenorphine
A stabilised taper with methadone or buprenorphine (Subutex) over seven to fourteen days, with lofexidine or clonidine for autonomic symptoms.
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Benzodiazepine detox: slow, careful, patient
A gradual cross-taper on to diazepam and then a slow reduction over weeks. Fast benzodiazepine withdrawal can trigger seizures and prolonged distress.
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24/7 medical monitoring
Baseline bloods, ECG, regular observations and a resident nurse. A consultant psychiatrist reviews at admission and through the detox window.
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Mental health cover throughout
Depression, anxiety, PTSD and suicidal thoughts commonly surface as the substance clears. Psychiatric cover is available every day, not just in office hours.
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Anti-craving medication where useful
Naltrexone, acamprosate or disulfiram after alcohol detox. Buprenorphine maintenance after opiate detox where appropriate. Not required, offered where indicated.
What comes after
The twenty-eight days is the start. The year that follows is the point.
Every admission comes with a written aftercare plan and twelve months of structured support - weekly group, alumni network, mutual-aid meetings and an optional sober coach or halfway-house step-down.
A quiet reminder
The strongest predictor of a good outcome is not the unit you chose, it is what you do in the year after.
Aftercare is best planned to last the year, not just the admission.
- 01 Assessment
Substance history and physical health
What has been used, how much, how often, and how long. Physical examination, bloods, ECG and any imaging needed before detox begins.
- 02 Detox plan
Your medical detox regime
The exact medication, doses and taper schedule. Monitoring frequency. Named clinician on call overnight. Expected symptoms and when to press the button.
- 03 Therapy plan
Your weekly therapy schedule
Individual sessions per week, group timetable, family sessions, mutual-aid meetings on-site, and any specialist tracks (trauma, gambling, cross-addiction).
- 04 Aftercare
A twelve month aftercare plan
Read this first. Weekly group, alumni network, sober coach if chosen, mutual-aid meetings near home, GP letter and any onward psychiatric or therapy referrals.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Bupa, AXA Health and Cigna typically fund residential rehab up to an annual cap, most commonly around twenty-eight days. Extensions can often be secured on a consultant psychiatrist recommendation. Vitality, Aviva and WPA vary by policy.
Frequently asked
Common questions about residential rehab.
Quick answers on consent, phones, visits, work absence letters, relapse rates and the cost of the aftercare year.
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Can I be forced into residential rehab?
No. In the UK, private residential rehab is voluntary. You are free to leave, and no one signs you in against your will. Very occasionally, when someone is a serious risk to themselves or others and lacks capacity, admission under the Mental Health Act may be needed, but that is a different pathway and rare. Family and employers can help someone say yes, but they cannot make the decision for them. In practice, the people who do best are the ones who agree, however reluctantly, that they need help.
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Can I keep my phone and stay in touch with work and family?
Policies vary. Most UK units restrict phone and laptop use, especially in the first week or two of detox, to protect early recovery and group confidentiality. Many allow phones back later in the stay for family calls and essential work. Total blackouts are rare in adult rehab, but limits are normal and there for good reasons.
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Can my family visit?
Yes, in almost every unit. Visits are usually structured, at set times, and start once acute detox is complete. Many programmes include family therapy sessions during the admission because families need support too. Children can often visit with prior agreement. If your partner or parent is a long distance away, video calls are usually possible from week two onwards.
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Can I get a work absence letter without a diagnosis on it?
Yes. It confirms the dates you are medically unfit for work and can be worded as stress-related illness, mental health treatment, or a similar general term. Your employer does not need the diagnosis, and in most cases you do not need to disclose that it is addiction treatment specifically. HR discussions are your call.
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What are the realistic relapse rates?
Addiction is a chronic relapsing condition, and honest numbers matter. Roughly one in three people stay abstinent through the first year after a good residential programme, another third relapse but return to recovery, and the remaining third struggle repeatedly. The single strongest predictor of a good outcome is not the rehab itself but what happens in the year after, which is why aftercare is best treated as the main event, not the sequel.
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How much does the aftercare year cost?
Alumni events and mutual-aid meetings (AA, NA, CA, GA, SMART Recovery) are free. Optional extras include a private sober coach at around £150 to £300 per hour, one-to-one therapy at £120 to £220 per session, and structured sober-living accommodation (halfway house) at £250 to £600 per week. A good unit maps the year with you before you leave.
Related
Related conditions and therapies.
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Depression
Often sits under an addiction and needs treating alongside it.
Learn more -
Anxiety
Anxiety and alcohol or benzodiazepine use very commonly co-exist.
Learn more -
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
Skills-based therapy for emotion regulation, distress and impulsivity.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure guide.
Learn more
Ready when you are
A confidential conversation, whenever you are ready.
One private call with a clinician. No sales script, no pressure.