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Who breast screening is for

NHS breast screening is offered to women aged 50 up to your 71st birthday. Everyone registered with a GP as female will be invited.

When you'll be invited

You'll automatically get your first invitation for breast screening between the ages of 50 and 53. You'll then be invited every 3 years until your 71st birthday.

If you’re transgender or non-binary and you would like to be invited for breast screening, ask your GP surgery for advice.

You need to be registered with a GP surgery to be invited for breast screening.

If you have not had a letter inviting you to breast screening

If you have not been invited for breast screening by the age of 53 and think you should have, contact your local breast screening service.

Find breast screening services

If you’re 71 or over

You will not automatically be invited for breast screening if you are aged 71 or over.

But you can still have breast screening every 3 years if you want to. You will need to call your local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.

If you're trans or non-binary

If you're a trans man, trans woman or are non-binary, how you are invited will depend on the sex you are registered with at a GP surgery:

  • if you're registered as female with a GP surgery you will automatically be invited for breast screening
  • if you're registered as male with a GP surgery you will not automatically be invited for breast screening
What to do if you were assigned female at birth

If you've not had top surgery (surgery to remove the breasts and have male chest reconstruction), you can have mammograms.

If you've had top surgery, you may still have some breast tissue. But it's unlikely you will be able to have a mammogram. Talk to a GP if you notice any changes in your chest tissue or symptoms of breast cancer.

If you think you should have breast screening, but you are not invited automatically, contanct your GP surgery or call the local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.

What to do if you were assigned male at birth

If you've been taking feminising hormones for longer than 2 years, you can have breast screening. These hormones can increase your chance of getting breast cancer.

If you think you should have breast screening, but you are not invited automatically, talk to your GP surgery or call the local breast screening service to ask for an appointment.

Non-urgent advice: See a GP if:

Do not wait for your next breast screening appointment.

Information:

More information

Page last reviewed: 9 October 2025
Next review due: 9 October 2028