Priory vs UKAT
Two of the largest UK private rehab groups — how they actually differ on cost, model and coverage.
Priory Group
The UK's largest private mental-health and addiction provider — CQC-registered hospitals and wellbeing centres.
- Scale and geographic coverage — 30+ hospitals across the UK
- Full psychiatric wraparound for dual diagnosis
- Widely accepted by BUPA, AXA, Vitality, WPA
- Detox and psychiatry under one roof
- Higher price point — flagship sites can exceed £15k/month
- Hospital environment feels institutional to some clients
- Individual site quality varies widely — check the CQC report
Best for: Clients with complex mental-health comorbidity or private-medical-insurance cover.
UKAT
UK Addiction Treatment — a specialist addiction group operating a handful of dedicated CQC-registered rehabs.
- Addiction specialism (not general psychiatry)
- Smaller residential settings
- Often lower total cost than Priory equivalents
- Structured 12-step + CBT combined programmes
- Fewer sites — less location choice
- Less psychiatric depth for severe dual diagnosis
- Also varies site to site — check CQC per clinic
Best for: Self-funders wanting a smaller specialist addiction setting.
Side-by-side
| Priory Group | UKAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | CQC (each site) | CQC (each site) |
| Approx cost, 28 days | £8,000–£15,000+ | £5,000–£10,000 |
| UK sites | 30+ hospitals + wellbeing centres | ~8 residential rehabs |
| Insurance accepted | Widely — BUPA, AXA, Vitality, WPA, Aviva | Most major UK insurers |
| Psychiatric depth | Strong — full hospital model | Addiction-focused; psychiatry via referral |
| Therapy model | Eclectic — 12-step, CBT, DBT, trauma-informed | 12-step + CBT led |
| Environment | Hospital / residential wings | Smaller residential houses |
Our take
Choose Priory if you need the psychiatric side handled at the same site — active depression, anxiety, trauma, eating disorder, personality disorder. Their hospital model absorbs that better than most single-purpose rehabs.
Choose UKAT (or a similar specialist addiction group) if the primary issue is addiction alone and a smaller, less institutional environment matters to you — and if the price difference will decide whether you can afford to stay 28 days rather than 14.
Either way: don't compare brand-to-brand. Ask which specific site an advisor would recommend, look up that site's most recent CQC report, and read it before you commit.
Common questions
Is Priory more expensive than UKAT?▾
On average yes — Priory addiction stays typically run £8,000–£12,000 for 28 days at their standard hospitals, with the flagship sites higher. UKAT clinics are typically £5,000–£10,000 for 28 days. Both offer 14-day options and both accept BUPA / AXA / Vitality on many policies.
Is one clinically better?▾
Both are CQC-registered, use broadly the same evidence-based frameworks (12-step + CBT + trauma-informed work), and both publish CQC ratings publicly. Individual clinic quality varies more than the group name — check the specific site's CQC report before booking, not the brand.
Which do UK GPs typically refer to?▾
Both. Priory's scale and hospital-based model tends to attract insurance and NHS-funded referrals; UKAT is more often chosen by self-funders looking for a specific location or model. Neither is a stronger clinical signal on its own.