vets prescription fees will be capped at £21 for the first medicine and £12. 50 for additional medicines after a Competition and Markets Authority intervention that orders new transparency and pricing rules for UK veterinary practices; the CMA says the changes aim to rein in sharply rising costs and boost competition across the sector. The reforms require practices to publish comprehensive price lists and to make clear if they are part of a larger group, and a price-comparison website will be introduced to help pet owners shop around. The CMA indicated the measures will begin to come into force later this year and that the package will be legally enforceable by 23 September (ET).
Vets Prescription Fees: What the CMA ordered
The CMA’s overhaul sets a written prescription fee cap of £21 for the first medicine and £12. 50 for any additional medicines supplied within the same consultation. Practices must publish comprehensive price lists covering standard services — consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options — and must provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more, including aftercare and an itemised bill; emergencies are the only exception. The CMA will also mandate clear on-site and online disclosure when a practice is part of a larger veterinary group, and it will create a price-comparison website intended to drive competition and lower costs for consumers.
The watchdog found average prices in the sector have risen sharply, with measures highlighting price growth at nearly twice the rate of inflation and other analysis pointing to a 63% rise in average prices between 2016 and 2023. The CMA also noted that many pet owners buy long-term medication directly from their practice despite potential savings from purchasing online, and it will require practices to tell owners they can request a written prescription which may reduce costs.
Immediate reactions
Martin Coleman, chair of the independent Inquiry Group, said: “Today’s reforms will make a real difference to the millions of pet owners who want the best for their pets but struggle to find the practice, treatment and price that meets their needs. ” He warned that pet owners had been “left in the dark about who owns their practice, treatment options and prices — even when facing bills running into thousands of pounds, ” and said that vet businesses will, for the first time, be held to account by an independent regulator.
The British Veterinary Association (BVA) said the measures would “help pet owners make more informed choices” while also noting that veterinary practices have not been immune to rising costs. The CMA emphasised the sector’s size and consumer impact: more than 60% of households own a pet and the veterinary market is worth more than £6. 7bn.
What’s next
Enforcement of the legally binding package is set for 23 September (ET), when the CMA will make the remedies compulsory for practices across the UK. Regulators will launch the comparison website and practices will be expected to publish standardised price lists and provide written estimates for high-cost treatments; pet owners should see opportunities to shop and compare prices as those tools roll out. The reforms aim to cut unexpected bills and give pet owners clearer choices — and vets prescription fees will be directly capped and transparently published so owners can make costed decisions about care.
