If it turns out you are T1 and have insulin, or if you are T2 and prescribed insulin you will be given a meter and strips on prescription. Otherwise, it is highly unlikely you will get one, so in the meantime I do suggest you get one.
All meters must pass the same accuracy standards before they can be marketed. If you are cost conscious you need to look for a meter that has the cheapest strips. You only need one meter but you need many thousands of strips, and these can vary in price from around £7.50 for 50 up to around £30 for 50, so do be careful to check this. The cheapest strips are for the Codefree and the Tee2 meters and these are very popular on this forum.
Pharmacies don't sell them. There are discount codes if you buy in bulk and don’t forget to check the box that you have diabetes so you can buy VAT free.
5 packs 264086
10 packs 975833
Different types of diabetes are defined by what causes them, not how they are treated.
Type 1 is an autoimmune disease. MODY is genetic diabetes. Type 3c is diabetes caused by physical damage to the pancreas. NDM is neonatal diabetes. Type 2 is everything else, a ragbag from diet and weight to stress and shift work to hereditary, everything that doesnt fit into the other causes.