Why do vet prices differ so much between practices just a few miles apart?

UK vet pricing is unregulated and practices set their own fees, which is why two surgeries a short drive apart can charge very different amounts for the same treatment.

Why do vet prices differ so much between practices just a few miles apart? The short answer is that, unlike the NHS, nobody sets or caps what a vet practice can charge. Every practice decides its own fees, so two surgeries a short drive apart can end up a long way apart on price for the same treatment.

What the CMA found

The competition watchdog's investigation into the sector found that average prices for veterinary services rose by 63% between 2016 and 2023, far outstripping general inflation. It identified corporate consolidation, with six large corporate groups now owning more than 60% of UK vet practices, as a central reason competition has weakened across the sector.

That consolidation shows up directly in bills. The CMA's research found that chain vets charge on average 16.6% more than independent practices for the same treatments, and many of these chain practices still trade under their original local name, so owners often have no idea their familiar local vet is now part of a national group.

Why owners rarely compare

Part of the reason prices have been able to drift apart is that so few people shop around. Only 19% of pet owners compared prices before choosing a vet, largely because most practices did not publish their fees and ringing round for quotes is time consuming and awkward.

Without visible prices, vets have faced very little pressure to compete on cost, which is exactly what the new transparency rules are meant to change.

The other factors behind the gap

What is changing

The CMA's new rules require every practice to publish a standardised set of prices in a common format, so a consultation listed at one practice means roughly the same thing as a consultation at another. Large groups must also state clearly whether they are independent or part of a bigger company, addressing the ownership question directly.

Until those rules are fully in force, the best protection is to ask directly: request a price list, ask whether the practice is independently owned or part of a group, and get a written estimate before agreeing to any costly treatment. You can compare prices for common treatments and read more about how group ownership affects vet bills before you choose a practice.