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The UK’s new veterinary rules are designed to make prices, practice ownership and treatment options clearer, and to cap what participating practices can charge for writing a prescription. They are not all in force yet: the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is phasing in requirements from December 2026 to September 2027, depending on the business and the rule.
A 6 October 2026 report reproduced by Sovereign News Station and attributed to the Daily Mirror said BBC Morning Live’s Coletta Smith discussed the changes and owners’ concerns about rising costs. It also quoted veterinarian Dr James Greenwood advising owners to discuss costs with their vet before treatment. The reproduction is not an official BBC transcript, so broadcast comments here are attributed to that report.
What are the new vet rules?
The CMA’s 2026 reforms respond to findings that owners often lacked clear information about practice ownership, prices and services, making it harder to compare options. The CMA said on 24 March 2026: “A lack of information that helps people make informed decisions is leading to weak competition and high prices.” The package requires veterinary businesses to provide clearer information, including about ownership, prices, prescription fees, medicines and services. The final Order was published on 22 September 2026.
The need for clearer pricing is reflected in the CMA’s finding that fewer than 40% of practices had prices on their websites, and that the prices often covered few services or were difficult to find. The CMA also reported that over 70% of pet owners buy long-term medication from their vet practice. It said many owners could save £200 a year or more by buying long-term medicines online; this is a potential saving, not a guarantee for any particular owner or medicine. (CMA announcement, 24 March 2026)
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How much can a vet charge for a written prescription?
Once the cap applies to a practice, the maximum charge for writing a prescription is £21 for the first medicine prescribed in a consultation, plus £12.50 for each additional medicine prescribed in that same consultation. The caps apply across the UK, with no regional variations. They cover the prescription-writing fee, not the cost of the medicine.
The cap does not apply to every practice immediately. Its start date depends on the business’s implementation phase. (CMA implementation guidance, updated 22 September 2026)
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When do the new rules apply to my practice?
The CMA’s implementation timetable distinguishes larger and smaller veterinary businesses. As of 7 October 2026, the requirements are being phased in, not universally enforced.
| Business and requirement | Compliance date |
|---|---|
| Large businesses: prescription-fee caps | March 2027 |
| Large businesses: all other requirements | June 2027 |
| Small businesses: all requirements | September 2027 |
The CMA case page says the first phase for larger businesses begins on 23 December 2026, followed by further changes over the subsequent months; the more specific milestones above are in its updated implementation guidance. The CMA material does not establish in this summary a simple test for whether a particular practice counts as large or small. Check with the practice which phase applies to it, and consult the current CMA case page for updates.
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Can I get a written prescription and buy medicine elsewhere?
Veterinary businesses must tell owners that they can request a written prescription to use when buying medicines elsewhere, and that medicines may be cheaper elsewhere. That is a transparency requirement; it does not mean every medicine is suitable for online purchase, or that buying elsewhere will always cost less.
Before comparing options, ask your vet which medicine and formulation your pet needs, whether a written prescription is appropriate, and what the prescription fee and medicine price would be. Compare the total cost and what is included, rather than assuming the lowest advertised medicine price is the lowest overall cost. The vet remains the source for clinical advice.
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How should I discuss a treatment quote?
Dr James Greenwood was quoted in the reproduced Daily Mirror report as saying: “My advice would be to talk openly with your vet about costs before any treatment begins.” To make that discussion practical, ask for a written estimate and itemised breakdown, then clarify:
- What the total covers, including consultations, tests, medicines, procedures and follow-up care.
- Whether there are alternative treatment options and how their costs differ.
- Whether the practice is part of a larger group, and who owns it.
- What the written-prescription fee and medicine cost would be, if applicable.
- Whether the relevant CMA requirement has started applying to that practice.
These are useful comparison questions, not a claim that the reforms create a new legal right to a particular estimate or treatment option. The governing instrument is the Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026 and RCVS Undertakings.
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What did the report say about owners’ concerns?
The reproduced report said Coletta Smith described owners as concerned about rising costs. It also included one viewer’s account of comparing treatment costs in Brittany with costs in the UK. That individual experience does not establish that travelling abroad is generally cheaper, safer or clinically equivalent; decisions about treatment should be made with a vet who understands the pet’s needs.
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