Choosing a vet UK
Choosing a vet used to mean guesswork. New CMA reforms mean you can now compare price lists, ownership, and services before you register. Here's how to make an informed choice.
CompareMyVet brings everything you need to compare local practices into one place.
Consultation fees, common procedure costs, prescription fees. New rules mean practices must publish standard price lists.
Independent or corporate group? Ownership affects pricing culture, clinical independence, and continuity of care.
Distance, parking, opening hours. A slightly further practice with better hours may suit you better in practice.
Who covers emergencies? Where is the out-of-hours clinic? How far away? This matters before you need it.
Does the practice offer the services your pet may need? In-house diagnostics? Referral pathways?
What do other pet owners say? Look for patterns in reviews — communication, wait times, billing clarity.
From 2026: Under CMA reforms, practices must publish comprehensive price lists and clearly disclose ownership. You no longer need to ask — but asking is still a good way to gauge how open and communicative a practice is.
With mandatory price lists now coming into force, comparing consultation fees and common procedure costs between local practices is becoming much more straightforward. The key steps are:
1. Find practices near you — use the RCVS Find a Vet service or wait for CompareMyVet to launch for a more complete picture including ownership and pricing.
2. Check published price lists — larger corporate practices are required to publish these first. Independent practices follow 3 months later.
3. Compare like for like — a consultation fee alone doesn't tell the whole story. A practice charging £55 for a longer appointment may offer better value than one charging £45 for a 10-minute slot.
4. Factor in ongoing costs — if your pet has a condition requiring regular medication, ask about written prescriptions and check online pharmacy prices before committing to a practice. The annual difference can be significant. Learn more about prescription savings →
You are free to change vet practice at any time. There is no penalty for switching. Your new practice can request your pet's medical records from your old one — this is standard practice and your right as a patient's owner.
If you're moving because of price or transparency concerns, the CMA's reforms mean the situation will improve materially through 2026. But you don't have to wait — comparing now is perfectly reasonable, and the information is increasingly available to do so.
Related: Not sure whether your current vet is independently owned or part of a corporate chain? Find out what ownership means and how to check →