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 our referral team 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.