Vet Prescription Fees Are Being Capped at £21.40: What UK Dog Owners Need to Know
The CMA's final order, made on 22 September 2026, caps vet prescription fees at £21.40 for the first medicine and £12.70 for each extra one. Exactly when price lists, the fee cap, estimates and itemised bills arrive at your vet, and how to save on your dog's medication now.
Updated 23 September 2026
Update, 23 September 2026: The CMA made its final legal order on 22 September 2026, and it came into force the next day. The final prescription fee caps are £21.40 for the first medicine and £12.70 for each additional one, slightly higher than the £21 and £12.50 announced in March, and both will rise with inflation each year. The order also sets exact dates for every change, which are in the timetable below.
If you've ever winced at the price of getting a written prescription from your vet, before you've even bought the actual medicine, then you're not alone. And as of today, the UK's competition watchdog has finally done something about it.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has concluded a landmark investigation into the UK veterinary sector, and the reforms it's ordering are a genuine win for pet owners. Here's everything you need to know.
What's Actually Changing in Vet Prescriptions?
After a three-year investigation that received over 56,000 responses (45,000 of them from the public), the CMA found that pet owners have been left "in the dark" about prices, and have been paying far more than they should for medicines.
Prescription fees, which many practices have been charging at £30 or above, before the cost of the medicine itself, will now be capped. The CMA announced caps of £21 and £12.50 in March, and its final order in September set them at £21.40 for the first medicine prescribed and £12.70 for each additional medicine. These caps include VAT and will be adjusted every year in line with inflation.
That's not all. Vets will be legally required to publish comprehensive price lists covering consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions, and cremation options. Practices must also provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more, and an itemised bill, with emergency care being the only exception.
There's also a big one for transparency: vets will have to make clear whether they are part of a larger group or operating independently, both online and at their premises, and a new comparison website will be set up to help pet owners compare practices more easily. Who sets the comparison website up though, is up for debate...
Why Did The Vet Prescription Investigation Happen?
The CMA found that fees have risen at almost twice the rate of inflation, with pet owners not being given enough information about their vet or the prices of treatments. Veterinary prices have risen 63% over seven years, and owners pay an average of 16.6% more at large vet groups than at independent practices.
The six large veterinary groups named in the investigation are CVS, IVC, Linnaeus, Medivet, Pets at Home and VetPartners.
When Do the New Rules Come Into Force?
The CMA's legally binding order was made on 22 September 2026 and came into force the next day. Each change then has its own deadline, and it depends on the size of your vet's business. A large business is one with 15 or more practices or out-of-hours centres, which covers the big groups. Practices must comply from the working day after each date.
| Change | Large vet groups | Smaller practices |
|---|---|---|
| Published price lists and practice information | 22 December 2026 | 22 March 2027 |
| Showing which group owns the practice | 22 March 2027 | 22 March 2027 |
| Prescription fee cap | 22 March 2027 | 22 September 2027 |
| Telling owners about written prescriptions | 22 June 2027 | 22 September 2027 |
| Written estimates for bigger treatments | 22 June 2027 | 22 September 2027 |
| Itemised bills | 22 June 2027 | 22 September 2027 |
So if your vet is part of a big chain, you should see a published price list from just before Christmas 2026, and the prescription fee cap from late March 2027. The comparison of practices on the RCVS Find a Vet website comes later, no earlier than September 2027.
How to Start Saving on Your Dog's Medication Right Now
You don't have to wait for the new rules. Here's what you can do today:
1. Ask for a written prescription - You already have the right to request a written prescription from your vet, and use it at an online pharmacy instead. Many dog owners don't know this. Yes, your vet can charge a fee for it (currently up to whatever they like, but soon to be capped), but the savings on the actual medication are often significant. The CMA estimates that more than 70% of pet owners currently buy long-term medication directly from their vet practice, and that many could save £200 a year by purchasing online instead.
2. Use a VMD-accredited online pharmacy - Only buy from pharmacies approved by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). These are fully regulated and safe. A quick search for "VMD registered online pet pharmacy" will show you your options.
3. Compare practices in your area - With independent practices typically charging less than the big chains, it's worth knowing who owns your local surgery. This will become much easier once the new comparison website is live, but in the meantime, asking the practice directly is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.
The Bottom Line for Dog Owners
This is a significant moment. The vet sector has operated without meaningful price transparency for far too long, and the CMA's investigation has delivered real, legally binding change. The prescription fee cap alone could save families meaningful money over the course of a year, especially if your dog is on long-term medication.
The changes won't all happen overnight, but the direction of travel is clear: more transparency, more competition, and more money staying in your pocket.
We'll be keeping a close eye on the rollout here at Floofers and updating this post as the new rules come into force.
Quick Summary: What's Changing
- Prescription fees capped at £21.40 (first medicine) / £12.70 (additional), rising with inflation
- Vets must publish full price lists
- Written estimates required for treatments over £500
- Practices must declare if they're part of a chain
- Practice comparison on the RCVS Find a Vet website, from September 2027 at the earliest
- Large groups publish price lists by 22 December 2026, and the fee cap applies there from 22 March 2027
Sources
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