Vet Fee Reforms 2026: What's Changing for Pet Owners

The biggest vet sector reform in 60 years

Defra published its White Paper, Our Vision for a Thriving Veterinary Sector, on 9 July 2026, setting out proposals described by the department as the most significant overhaul of veterinary regulation in six decades. The White Paper responds jointly to a public consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, which ran from 28 January to 25 March 2026 and received 6,219 responses, and to a near two-year market investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into veterinary services for household pets, which concluded in March 2026. Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds said the department is modernising a system that 'hasn't been updated for sixty years.' The 1966 Act was designed for a sector then dominated by agricultural practices and small family-run businesses, and has not kept pace with a market now dominated by household pet care and a small number of large corporate groups.

Price transparency: the £21 prescription fee cap and mandatory price lists

Under the proposals, vet practices would be required to publish price lists for common treatments and be transparent about treatment options and cost changes, so pet owners can compare value before committing to care. This would be paired with a £21 cap on written prescription fees and an enhanced 'Find a Vet' service, updated to show not just which vets and businesses operate in a given area, but also ownership information and price lists for common treatments, so consumers can compare providers directly. Vet businesses would also be required to disclose who owns them, making clear to pet owners whether their local practice is independent or part of a larger corporate chain. Defra says this transparency, combined with the ability to compare prices, is intended to increase competition and help bring costs down over time, rather than relying on price controls alone.

Why now: the scale of the pricing problem

The reforms follow a near two-year CMA market investigation into veterinary services for household pets, which launched on 23 May 2024 and published its final report on 24 March 2026. The CMA found that average prices for veterinary services grew by 63% and average treatment costs grew by 53% between 2016 and 2023, compared with general services inflation of 32% over the same period. The investigation estimated this had led to a consumer overspend of approximately £1 billion across 5 years within a £6.7 billion market for household pet veterinary services. The CMA linked this partly to rapid corporate consolidation: the proportion of vet practices under corporate ownership rose from around 10% in 2013 to approximately 60% today, with many owned by just 6 large veterinary groups. The White Paper states this scale of ownership change has not been matched by an equivalent update to the regulatory framework governing how veterinary businesses operate. Broader guides on managing household costs are available on the money guides hub.

A new independent ombudsman for pet owners

A new independent veterinary ombudsman is being considered to give pet owners a clearer route to redress when a complaint cannot be resolved directly with their practice. Modelled on how ombudsman services already operate in the financial, housing, energy, communications and legal sectors, it would be free for pet owners to use, funded instead by a levy on veterinary businesses graded by size and type. Under the proposals, an ombudsman would only get involved once a business's own in-house complaints process, and mediation where applicable, have failed to produce a satisfactory outcome. Its powers could include ordering an apology, requiring compensation, mandating a business to fix a mistake, or recommending changes to policies or procedures, with decisions legally binding on the business once accepted by the consumer. Which? has previously highlighted inadequate complaints and dispute resolution processes as a particular problem in the sector, welcoming the proposal as addressing a gap that has left some pet owners pursuing complaints for years.

Mandatory licensing for vet practices

For the first time, every vet practice would need an official operating licence, similar to the licensing already required of GP surgeries and care homes. Licensed businesses would need to meet standards covering animal health and welfare, staff qualifications and training, governance and record-keeping, and safe working environments, with a named responsible person accountable for clinical standards at each practice. The regulator would have powers to inspect premises, gather information, and impose sanctions ranging from improvement notices and fines through to suspending or removing a business's licence in serious cases. Businesses would also be required to have an in-house complaints system and, for first-opinion practices treating household pets, to take part in a mediation service, laying the groundwork for the proposed ombudsman to step in only where these earlier stages fail. Wider background on business regulation and licensing requirements is available on the business guides hub.

Wider recognition for vet nurses and the whole veterinary team

The reforms would also extend statutory regulation beyond veterinary surgeons to the wider veterinary team for the first time, including veterinary nurses, farriers, and a range of allied veterinary professionals such as physiotherapists, osteopaths and equine dental technicians. The title 'veterinary nurse' would become legally protected, usable only by those holding the relevant qualifications, with registered veterinary nurses gaining new post-nominal letters (RVN) recognising their status. The White Paper argues that formally regulating and licensing the wider team, and clarifying exactly which tasks each profession can carry out, will free up veterinary surgeons to focus on the specialist work only they are qualified to do, potentially improving access to care and reducing delays for pet owners. Fitness-to-practise processes would also be modernised, shifting from the current system based on past misconduct to one based on whether a professional currently poses a risk, described in the White Paper as a 'current impairment' standard.

This is a White Paper, not yet law

None of these changes are in force yet. The White Paper sets out the government's proposed direction and its response to the CMA's recommendations, but a new Act of Parliament is needed to replace the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and Defra has said it will seek a slot for the necessary Bill as soon as Parliamentary time allows, without giving a fixed timetable. Some elements, such as CMA-driven requirements on price and ownership transparency, may be introduced sooner through the CMA's own order-making powers ahead of full legislation. Given the multi-stage process, pet owners should not expect the £21 prescription fee cap or mandatory price lists to appear in practices immediately; Which? has urged government to keep the reforms moving so updated regulation is in place before the next general election. General guidance on planning ahead of a major cost commitment is on the before you decide guides.

How this connects to pet insurance

Greater price transparency in the vet sector has a direct knock-on effect for pet insurance, since insurers price policies and assess claims partly based on typical treatment costs in a given area. A mandatory price list and ownership disclosure system could, over time, make it easier for pet owners to compare not just which vet to use but how treatment costs interact with their insurance excess and coverage limits. The new ombudsman would also fill a genuine gap: unlike financial products, veterinary treatment for pets is not currently covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service, so pet owners have historically had far weaker formal recourse than they would for a disputed insurance claim itself. General background on how pet and other insurance policies work is available on the insurance guides hub.

Frequently asked questions

What is the £21 cap on vet prescription fees?

Defra's White Paper proposes capping the fee vets can charge for issuing a written prescription at £21, so pet owners can get medicines dispensed elsewhere if cheaper, without paying an excessive fee for the prescription itself.

Will there be a new ombudsman for vet complaints?

A new independent veterinary ombudsman is being considered, with power to make binding decisions on unresolved complaints, free for pet owners to use and funded by a levy on veterinary businesses.

When will these vet sector reforms become law?

Not yet. The White Paper sets out proposals; a new Act of Parliament is needed to replace the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, and Defra has said it will seek a Bill slot as soon as Parliamentary time allows, with no fixed date confirmed.

Do vet practices have to publish their prices now?

Not yet, though this is proposed. Some price and ownership transparency requirements may arrive sooner through CMA order-making powers, ahead of the full legislation needed for the wider reforms.

Will vet practices need a licence to operate?

Under the proposals, yes. Every vet practice would need an official operating licence for the first time, similar to the licensing already required of GP surgeries and care homes.