CMA Caps Vet Prescription Fees at £21, Orders New UK Price Rules

Written prescription fees from UK vets will be capped at £21 under rule changes the Competition and Markets Authority made legally binding on Tuesday, according to the BBC. The CMA's investigation into the veterinary sector found prices had been rising at nearly twice the rate of inflation.

£21: The New Ceiling on Prescription Fees

Practices must now cap what they charge for writing a prescription at £21 and tell clients when cheaper medicine is available online, the BBC reported. CMA panel chair Martin Coleman said the changes "will help inform pet owners about prices." Independent vet owner Cate Titterton, who runs a practice in Saltburn, told the BBC the fee cap will squeeze margins elsewhere: "Veterinary practices still have to have a pharmacy that is fully stocked, so if we're not making that tiny profit on the drugs, we're going to have to make some profit elsewhere."

£500: When a Written Estimate Becomes Mandatory

Any treatment expected to cost £500 or more now requires a written estimate in advance, including aftercare costs, plus an itemized bill afterward, per the rules cited by the BBC. Emergencies are the only carve-out. Practices must also publish a "comprehensive" price list covering consultations, common procedures and cremation options.

12 Months: The Compliance Window

Vets have up to 12 months to bring in the full set of changes, with exact timelines varying by regulation and by the size of the practice group, according to the CMA schedule referenced in the BBC report. Businesses must also disclose whether they belong to a corporate group or operate independently — a distinction vet Cat Henstridge called "wonderful" to finally require, while noting on the Today programme that corporate groups "have not actually been asked to change their ownership of any clinics or anything like that."

Two-Thirds: How Much of the Market Sits With Six Firms

Six companies own more than two-thirds of UK veterinary practices, the BBC reported, and critics argue the new rules will hit independents hardest while benefiting those larger groups. Titterton called the corporates the "one clear winner" of the overhaul. Price and ownership data will be funneled through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' "Find a Vet" service, which will share it with third-party comparison sites so owners can compare local practices.

What to Watch

• Whether independent practices raise consultation and surgery fees to offset lower prescription income, as Titterton predicts.
• How quickly the six dominant corporate groups adopt the ownership-disclosure requirement.
• Whether the RCVS "Find a Vet" price-comparison rollout changes where pet owners choose to book treatment.
• Full compliance checkpoints over the next 12 months, staggered by practice size under the CMA's published schedule.

Henstridge advised worried pet owners to "be open and honest with your vet about what is affordable for you," adding, "there is always going to be a bill" because veterinary medicine remains private care.