January 2027

New Year
health check 2027

The short answer: book a broad baseline in January that covers heart (cholesterol and ApoB), blood sugar (HbA1c), liver, kidney, thyroid, iron, vitamin D, B12 and inflammation, then retest about three months later to see what your changes did. If you are 40 to 74, live in England and haven't had one, the free NHS Health Check is the place to start; it covers cholesterol, blood pressure and heart risk, not a full panel.

Free optionNHS Health Check: England, ages 40 to 74 without existing heart, kidney or diabetes conditions, every 5 years.
Mid-price baselineMedichecks Ultimate Performance (56, £199 + draw) or Lola Peak Insights 70 (£200 to £235).
Most markersTrueVitals Ultimate: 140 biomarkers, £349 + draw. Signature: 230, £799 including draw.
Written by James Smillie, Founder, TrueVitals Reviewed by the TrueVitals clinical review team Prices checked 15 October 2026 How we review content
See the Ultimate panel, £349 Annual health check guide
Why January

A baseline before the resolutions, a retest after three months

The most useful blood test is the second one. A January result tells you where you are; a retest after about three months shows what the changes you made actually did, in numbers rather than how you feel.

Three months is not arbitrary. HbA1c reflects your average blood sugar over the previous two to three months, because that is roughly how long red blood cells last (Diabetes UK). A retest in April therefore reflects your January to March, not your Christmas.

Two cautions. Vitamin D is usually at its lowest in winter, so compare next January with this January rather than with a summer result. And a single result is a snapshot: anything unexpected is a reason to repeat it or speak to your GP, not to act on one number. How often should you get a blood test?

What to include

The January baseline checklist

Heart: cholesterol, ApoB, Lp(a)The full lipid profile; ApoB counts the particles that matter; Lp(a) is inherited and worth knowing once.
Blood sugar: HbA1c, fasting insulinHbA1c for the three-month average; fasting insulin for early insulin resistance.
Liver and kidneyALT, GGT, creatinine and eGFR; cystatin C if you are muscular or changing weight.
ThyroidTSH and free T4 at least; free T3 and antibodies for a fuller picture.
Iron, B12, folate, vitamin DCommon, fixable causes of tiredness, and vitamin D is lowest in winter.
Full blood count and hs-CRPBlood cells and a sensitive inflammation marker.
Hormones, if relevantTestosterone, oestradiol, FSH, LH, SHBG, especially in your 40s and 50s.
Men over 50: PSA, with adviceDiscuss the pros and cons with your GP first; a PSA result needs context.

Fasting before a blood test · Already know what a health MOT covers? Health MOT blood test UK goes into each section in more detail.

Who tests what

Which UK options cover the January baseline

From each provider's own website on 15 October 2026. All private panels below use a venous sample.

OptionPriceLipidsApoBHbA1cLiverKidneyThyroidIron studiesVit DB12hs-CRPHormones
NHS Health Check (England, 40 to 74)FreeCholesterolNoPossibly blood sugarNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNo
Medichecks Ultimate Performance (56)£199 + drawYesNoYesYesYesYes + antibodiesYesYesActiveYesYes
Lola Health Peak Insights 70£200, £235 with drawYesYesYesYesYesYes + antibodiesYesYesActiveYesYes
Forth Ultimate Health Check (52 listed)£399 + drawYesNoYesYesYesYes + antibodiesFerritin onlyYesActiveYesYes
TrueVitals Ultimate (140)£349 + £19 / £39 drawYes + Lp(a)YesYes + fasting insulinYesYes + cystatin CYes + antibodiesYesYesTotalYesYes

Prices checked October 2026: NHS Health Check, Medichecks (offer price; clinic draw +£35, nurse +£59; doctor's report included), Lola Health (reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor), Forth (clinic +£45, home nurse +£59). Check the provider before you buy.

TrueVitals facts: Ultimate: 140 biomarkers (139 for women), £349 + £19 clinic draw or £39 home visit, venous sample, Nationwide Pathology (UKAS-accredited), clinician-reviewed report within 4 working days, 103 partner clinics.

How booking works

Booking a TrueVitals January test, step by step

1. Pay onlineChoose Ultimate (£349) or Signature (£799 including the draw). Klarna and Clearpay at checkout.
2. Book your draw by phoneBooking is by phone after payment: a clinic draw at one of 103 partner clinics (£19) or a home visit (£39). Your referral doesn't expire, so you can pay in December and draw in January.
3. Draw, fasted, in the morningA venous sample, taken by a professional. Nothing but water beforehand for fasting markers.
4. Report within 4 working daysUltimate samples go to Nationwide Pathology (UKAS-accredited); the clinician-reviewed report follows within 4 working days. Signature is at Randox Health clinics, up to 12 working days.

How it works · Find a clinic · Signature panel

The honest version

When another option is the better choice

The NHS Health CheckFree, if you are 40 to 74, live in England and don't already have heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or a previous stroke. Invited every 5 years; ask your GP if you haven't been.
Your GPIf you have symptoms, start with your GP. A private baseline is for information, not diagnosis.
A cheaper panelMedichecks Ultimate Performance (£199) and Lola Peak Insights (£200 self-arranged) cover most of the checklist for less, with active B12.
A finger-prick kitTrueVitals has none and books by phone after payment. If you want to post a home sample, choose a provider that offers one.

Where TrueVitals fits: one draw that covers the whole checklist, including Lp(a), fasting insulin and cystatin C, with a written report that reads the results together and is compared with your next test. It is a newer brand than Medichecks or Forth.

Method and bias

  • Written by TrueVitals, which sells one of the options compared. Read the comparison with that in mind.
  • NHS Health Check eligibility is from nhs.uk. Private panels, prices and marker lists were read from each provider's own website on 15 October 2026; where a page was inconsistent, we used the marker list itself.
  • No January offers are listed because TrueVitals is not running one. This page will be re-checked in December 2026.
FAQs

Common questions

At minimum: cholesterol (ideally with ApoB), HbA1c, liver and kidney function, a full blood count, thyroid function, ferritin and iron, vitamin D, B12 and folate, and an inflammation marker. Add hormones if you have symptoms or are in your 40s or 50s. The table on this page shows which UK panels include each.

Yes, in England. The NHS Health Check is free for adults aged 40 to 74 who do not already have heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation or a previous stroke, and you should be invited every 5 years. It checks your cholesterol, blood pressure and possibly blood sugar, and estimates your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you are eligible and have not had one, start there.

Because it gives you a baseline before any New Year changes, so a retest about three months later shows what those changes did. Three months is a natural interval: HbA1c reflects your average blood sugar over the previous two to three months (Diabetes UK). One caution: vitamin D is usually at its lowest in winter, so compare January results with a later January, not with summer.

Pay online for the panel, then book by phone: either a clinic draw at one of 103 partner clinics (£19) or a home visit (£39). Booking is by phone after payment rather than online. Your sample goes to Nationwide Pathology (UKAS-accredited) and the clinician-reviewed report arrives within 4 working days.

For panels that include fasting insulin or fasting glucose, yes: usually an overnight fast with only water, and a morning draw. Take your usual medicines unless your doctor has told you otherwise. Each provider gives its own preparation instructions; see our fasting guide.

TrueVitals is not running a January offer. Prices are Ultimate £349 plus the draw, and Signature £799 including the draw. Klarna and Clearpay are available at checkout.

Related

Keep reading

Annual health check Health MOT How often to test Full body blood test Best blood test UK UK providers compared

Start 2027 with a baseline

Ultimate: 140 biomarkers, £349 plus your draw, clinician-reviewed report within 4 working days. Signature: 230 biomarkers, £799 including the draw. Klarna and Clearpay at checkout.

Book Ultimate, £349 Signature, £799 See a sample report