Vet Prescription Fees Capped at £21 — What This Means and How to Use It

Austa Albright, Founder of auddl

One of the most impactful and immediately practical changes from the CMA's 2026 veterinary reforms is the cap on written prescription fees. As of the CMA's legally binding order, UK vets can no longer charge more than £21 for the first prescription and £12.50 for each additional medicine on the same prescription.

This matters because prescription fees were one of the main reasons 70% of UK pet owners bought medication directly from their vet rather than shopping around. With fees sometimes reaching £35 or more, the cost of getting a prescription often cancelled out the savings available from buying the same medication online. That barrier has now been removed.

What the Cap Means in Practice

If your pet is on a regular medication — whether for allergies, epilepsy, thyroid conditions, arthritis, or any other chronic condition — you can now request a written prescription from your vet, pay a maximum of £21, and use that prescription to buy the same medication from a licensed online veterinary pharmacy.

The savings can be substantial. Many common pet medications are available from online pharmacies at 40 to 70% less than the vet's dispensing price. On a medication costing £50 per month from the vet, buying online with a written prescription could save you £20 to £35 per month — over £400 per year.

Your Rights Under the New Rules

Under the CMA's reforms, your vet is now legally required to:

• Inform you of your right to a written prescription at the time of consultation, before dispensing medication
• Tell you explicitly that the same medication may be available at a lower cost from an online pharmacy
• Provide a written prescription within 48 hours of your request (some practices must provide it immediately)
• Charge no more than £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for each additional medicine on the same prescription

How to Buy Medication Online Safely

When using a written prescription from your vet to buy medication online, always buy from a pharmacy registered with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) or the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). The safest way to verify a pharmacy is to check the VMD's register of authorised veterinary medicine retailers, available on their website.

Be cautious of very low prices from unknown international retailers — counterfeit or unregulated veterinary medication does exist and can be harmful. Stick to UK-registered pharmacies where possible.

A Practical Example

Suppose your dog has been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and needs daily levothyroxine. At the vet, this might cost £45 per month. A written prescription from your vet costs £21 — a one-off or annual fee depending on the duration of the prescription — and the same medication from a UK-registered online pharmacy costs £18 per month. In year one, you spend £21 on the prescription plus £216 on medication — £237 total. Previously, you might have spent £540 buying the same medication directly from the vet. Annual saving: over £300.

Always check the VMD register before buying medication from an online pharmacy. Your pet's safety is more important than the saving — only use regulated, registered retailers.

What About One-Off Medications?

The CMA reform also requires vets to offer written prescriptions for acute (one-time) medications, not just chronic conditions. Previously, vets were far more likely to dispense acute medications directly and far less likely to offer a prescription for them. Under the new rules, you can request a written prescription for any medication — whether for a one-time illness or a long-term condition.

How auddl Can Help

auddl's platform includes a medication tracker as part of your pet's health log, making it easy to monitor what your pet is taking, when prescriptions need renewing, and when to request a written prescription from your vet. Combined with our vet finder, which now displays prescription fee policies alongside other practice information, auddl helps you navigate the new landscape with confidence.

Start using auddl free today at app.auddl.ai. The auddl Pulse collar comes free with an annual subscription — join the waitlist at auddl.ai.