DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
Your rights under the 2026 CMA vet reforms
The CMA vet reforms are a set of rules ordered by the Competition and Markets Authority that give UK pet owners specific new rights when dealing with a vet practice, including a written estimate before costly treatment, a fully itemised bill, clearer options over where to buy prescribed medicine, and fairer information about referral pricing. Knowing these as rights, rather than as favours a practice might grant you, changes how a conversation about a big bill goes. This guide sets each one out plainly, with what you can actually ask for.
The quick version
- You can ask for a written estimate before any treatment expected to cross a set cost threshold, aftercare included.
- You can request a fully itemised bill for any course of treatment, not only for costly procedures.
- You can ask for a written prescription and buy the medicine elsewhere instead of only at the practice.
- You can ask what a referral, for example for Cruciate / TPLO surgery, is likely to cost before you agree to it.
- You can ask whether your practice is part of a larger corporate group, since ownership must now be made clear.
Published and surveyed prices
Why the price varies so much
Before these reforms, there was no reliable way to challenge a bill you thought was unfair, because a practice was not obliged to give you anything in writing before treatment or to disclose who actually owned it. Costs for something like Dental work, where the final total depends on decisions made while your pet is under anaesthetic, or an Overnight hospitalisation stay, where charges build up night by night, could climb a long way past what you expected with little you could point to afterwards, which is exactly why the CMA's reforms exist. Referral pricing is where these rights matter most: if your first-opinion vet refers you onward, for Cruciate / TPLO surgery or another specialist procedure, you are entitled to a written estimate from the referral centre too, covering likely aftercare such as a further Overnight hospitalisation stay, and the same right applies to ongoing medicine, where you can ask for a written Prescription fee instead of buying at the desk and compare where it is cheapest.
How to pay less
- Before agreeing to any referral, ask for a written estimate that covers the whole episode, including aftercare like an Overnight hospitalisation stay, not just the operation itself.
- Ask for a written prescription for ongoing medicine and price it before buying, rather than defaulting to the practice's own charge.
- Request the itemised bill and check it line by line against whatever estimate you were given.
- Ask directly whether your practice belongs to a larger corporate group, so you understand whether pricing follows a group policy.
- If a quote for something like Dental work feels high, use your right to your pet's clinical records to get a second opinion elsewhere without paying for repeat tests.
Common questions
Do I have a right to a written estimate before vet treatment?
Yes. For any treatment expected to cross a set cost threshold, a practice must give you a written estimate in advance, including likely aftercare. Genuine emergencies are the exception, since there is often no time to prepare one.
Can I demand an itemised bill?
Yes, you are entitled to a fully itemised bill once treatment is complete, showing each charge separately rather than one lump total. This lets you check it against your estimate and query anything that does not match.
Can I buy my pet's prescription medicine somewhere other than the vet?
Yes. You can ask for a written prescription and buy the medicine elsewhere, such as online or at a pharmacy, instead of at the practice. Fees for issuing that written prescription are now capped, so a practice cannot charge whatever it likes for the paperwork.
What are my rights if I'm referred to a specialist?
You are entitled to a written estimate from the referral centre, separate from your usual practice's estimate, covering the procedure and likely aftercare. It is worth asking for this before you agree to the referral, especially for costly surgery such as Cruciate / TPLO.
Can I find out who actually owns my vet practice?
Yes. Ownership labelling is now mandatory, so a practice belonging to a larger corporate group must make that clear in its branding. If it is not obviously displayed yet, you can simply ask the practice directly.