Most people in the UK who use CPAP got it through the NHS. This is the route as the NHS sleep apnoea page describes it, read 14 October 2026, with the NICE position alongside.
1. See your GP
The NHS suggests seeing a GP if your breathing stops and starts while you sleep, you make gasping, snorting or choking noises, or you always feel very tired during the day. Someone who has watched you sleep can help by coming to the appointment with you.
2. Sleep clinic tests
If the GP thinks you might have sleep apnoea, they may refer you to a specialist sleep clinic. The clinic gives you devices that record things like your breathing and heartbeat overnight. You can usually do this at home, but sometimes you may need to stay in the clinic.
The result is your apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI), the number of breathing pauses per hour:
| AHI | NHS severity |
|---|---|
| 5–14 | Mild |
| 15–30 | Moderate |
| Over 30 | Severe |
3. Treatment
The NHS says many people need a CPAP machine and that you’ll be given one for free on the NHS if you need it. CPAP pumps air through a mask over your nose, or nose and mouth, while you sleep. It can improve your breathing and sleep quality, and reduce the risk of problems linked to sleep apnoea such as high blood pressure. The NHS adds that it works best if you use it every night.
NICE technology appraisal TA139 recommends CPAP as a treatment option for adults with moderate or severe symptomatic obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea syndrome. Its recommendation on mild OSA has been replaced by recommendation 1.5.2 of NICE guideline NG202 (2021).
The NHS also lists these other treatments:
- a mandibular advancement device, which looks like a gum shield
- surgery, such as removing large tonsils
- exercises for the mouth and facial muscles
- hypoglossal nerve stimulation
For mild sleep apnoea, lifestyle changes may be enough. These include losing weight, stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol, regular exercise and sleeping on your side.
4. Driving
If you have excessive sleepiness, you may have to tell the DVLA and stop driving until it is under control. See sleep apnoea and driving.
Buying privately alongside the NHS
People buy privately for a travel machine, a second unit, or a newer model. If you do:
- Claim VAT relief. A UK seller can zero-rate VAT for someone with a chronic illness buying for personal use. See VAT relief on CPAP and oxygen.
- Use your prescribed settings. Tell your sleep clinic you’re using a second machine, so they can confirm the pressure settings.
- Compare prices. UK prices for the AirSense 11 and AirMini are in our private CPAP guide.
The verdict
Start with your GP. On the NHS route, the CPAP machine itself is free. Buy privately only for a second or travel machine, and claim VAT relief if you have a chronic condition.