If you've followed the news around veterinary costs in the UK over the past couple of years, you'll know it's been a hot topic. Following the BBC Panorama investigation "Why Are Vet Bills So High?" and mounting concern from pet owners about surprise bills, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a full market investigation into the veterinary sector. Its findings, published in March 2026, are now becoming binding rules for every veterinary practice in the country — and the rollout starts this month.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), our profession's regulatory body, has broadly welcomed the changes, while pushing for a few adjustments of its own. RCVS will also take on a new role monitoring compliance across the industry, funded by a new business levy on veterinary practices being phased in between December 2026 and September 2028.

What's Actually Changing

The CMA's research uncovered some uncomfortable numbers: fewer than 40% of veterinary practices currently publish any pricing online, and only 29% of pet owners received a written estimate before a major procedure. The new rules aim to close that gap. From this year, practices will be legally required to:

Publish clear, current pricing for standard services — consultations, treatments, diagnostics, and cremation — both online and in-clinic. Provide a written cost estimate before any non-emergency treatment expected to cost £500 or more. Give an itemised bill after every treatment, so it's clear exactly what you're paying for. Tell clients about their right to a written prescription, so medicines can be sourced elsewhere if preferred, with fees for that prescription capped at £21 for the first item and £12.50 for each additional one. For cremation specifically, disclose upfront pricing for all options — and clearly offer the lower-cost communal cremation alongside individual cremation, rather than only presenting the more expensive choice.

Practices that don't comply risk fines of up to 5% of their global annual turnover, so this isn't a gentle suggestion — it's a genuine shift in how the whole industry has to operate.

Why This Matters So Much in End-of-Life Care

Nowhere does cost transparency matter more than in the moments this regulation is specifically calling out — cremation and aftercare. These are decisions families are often making at their most exhausted and heartbroken, and the last thing anyone needs then is to be doing mental arithmetic or feeling pressured into the more expensive option because nobody mentioned there was another one.

That's exactly why we built our online estimate tool before any of this became a legal requirement — not to tick a compliance box, but because we believe you shouldn't have to ask for peace of mind about cost on top of everything else you're already carrying.

Try Our Online Estimate Tool

Our free estimator, live now at thevet2go.co.uk/estimate, already does what the new rules are asking of the whole industry:

Both cremation options, clearly priced. Individual and communal cremation are both laid out side by side, including that individual cremation comes with a complimentary fur clipping and ink print keepsake where possible — nothing hidden, nothing upsold. A full itemised breakdown, so you see exactly what makes up your estimate before you ever need to speak to us. No pressure, no obligation. You can work through it privately, from home, at whatever pace feels right — it doesn't book anything, it simply gives you the information to make your own decision, on your own time.

A real person is still at the centre. We'll always agree the final price with you personally before any visit — the tool is there to inform that conversation, never to replace it.

We know that no amount of paperwork makes saying goodbye to a pet any easier. But we do believe that knowing what to expect, without any surprises, is one small thing we can make easier — and it's something we're committed to, regulation or not.

If you'd like to see for yourself, you can get a no-obligation estimateany time at www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate, or call us directly on 07865 741692or 07865 741831 if you'd rather talk things through first.

The Vet 2 Go’s Complete Cost Transparency

The Vet 2 Go was built on the belief that mobile veterinary care should be clear, convenient and fair. The CMA/RCVS reforms align closely with that vision – but we didn’t want to wait for the legal deadlines to make our pricing fully transparent.

That’s why we’ve launched our online estimate tool, so you can see exactly what our services cost before you book. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

What our online estimate tool does:

Our estimator is designed to:

Show up‑front prices for our core mobile vet services, from consultations to vaccinations, microchipping, blood tests and more. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

Help you understand what’s included in each service, so there are no surprises on the day. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

Give you a clear basis for budgeting and decision‑making, especially if you’re comparing options or planning ongoing care. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

Support the spirit (and letter) of the CMA/RCVS rules on written estimates for higher‑cost treatments, by making indicative costs visible from the start. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

Where treatments are more complex or may exceed typical price ranges, we will still provide personalised written estimates in line with the new requirements, explaining likely costs, options and any variables that could affect the final bill. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

How this fits with the new RCVS/CMA framework As the CMA Order comes into force (expected by late September 2026) and the RCVS begins active monitoring, all veterinary providers – including mobile services like The Vet 2 Go – will need to ensure their pricing, estimates and billing practices meet the new standards.

Our approach is to:

Meet and exceed the minimum transparency requirements on price lists, estimates and itemised billing.

Use our online estimator as a living tool, updated as our services evolve and as the RCVS comparison framework develops. https://www.thevet2go.co.uk/estimate

Keep communication open: if costs change during a consultation, we’ll explain why and agree next steps with you before proceeding, in line with the new rules on estimate variations.

The aim is simple: you should never feel pressured or in the dark about what you’re paying for.****