Vet costs & consumer guidance
Vet prescription fees in the UK: the new CMA caps explained
The new limits apply to the written prescription—not the medicine, consultation or every other charge. These are the numbers and dates that matter.
A written veterinary prescription lets you obtain an authorised medicine from another supplier rather than buying it directly from the practice. The vet can charge for producing that prescription, and you still need to account for the price of the medicine, delivery and any monitoring your pet needs.
What is a vet prescription fee?
The prescription fee is the charge for the written prescription document. It is separate from:
- the consultation in which your pet is assessed;
- the price of the medicine;
- a dispensing or administration fee;
- delivery from an alternative supplier; and
- repeat examinations, blood tests or other monitoring.
A lower medicine price online can still work out more expensive for a one-off purchase once the prescription fee and delivery are included. For long-term medication, the same one-off fee may be spread across several authorised repeats, depending on what your vet considers clinically appropriate.
What are the new CMA prescription-fee caps?
The CMA’s final rules set a maximum written-prescription fee of £21 including VAT for the first medicine prescribed within a consultation. The maximum is £12.50 including VAT for each additional medicine prescribed in the same consultation.
These are not caps on the price of the medicine. They do not cap the consultation, necessary tests, dispensing by the practice or the delivery charge from another retailer. The CMA says the limits will be adjusted annually for inflation using CPI and will apply across the UK without regional variations.
When do the new caps start?
The Order was made in September 2026, but the prescription-fee caps do not apply to every business immediately:
- March 2027: larger veterinary businesses must comply with the prescription-fee cap.
- September 2027: smaller veterinary businesses must comply.
Until the relevant deadline, current prescription fees can differ. Check the practice’s published information or ask directly rather than assuming the future cap already applies.
See the broader timetable in our CMA vet-reforms explainer.
How to compare the full medicine cost
Use the total cost for the period your vet has authorised, not the headline price of one packet.
Total alternative-supplier cost = written prescription fee + medicine price for every fill + delivery
Then compare that total with the practice’s price for supplying the same medicine, strength and quantity. Ask:
- How long is the prescription valid?
- How many repeats or fills does it allow?
- Is the alternative price for the exact medicine, strength and pack size?
- Are refrigeration or timed delivery required?
- What monitoring must still be carried out by the practice?
You can run the figures through Compare Vet Pricing’s prescription-cost calculator. Its result is arithmetic, not a recommendation to change supplier or treatment.
Buying veterinary medicines safely
Never change a medicine, dose or treatment schedule without speaking to your vet. Use a properly registered supplier, check that it can dispense the exact authorised product and allow enough time for delivery before your pet runs out.
If cost is making treatment difficult, say so early. Your veterinary team may be able to explain alternatives, pack sizes or monitoring options that are clinically suitable for your pet. Price comparison should support that conversation, not replace it.