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We understand that vet bills in the UK can get quite expensive. In this blog we’ll give you an overview of different vet bills you could come across, what to do if you can’t afford them, and how to navigate pet insurance and pet loans.
Paying vet bills can be an unexpected medical expense. As we have free healthcare in the UK with the NHS, pet owners can often be hit with surprise bills when their pets return from care with a hefty bill. For those on benefits, or struggling financially, this can be an extremely stressful situation.
There are various treatment requirements that can pop up when you for own a pet, such as tagging and neutering, as well as expenses if your pet gets sick or injured.
You can check on Tesco Bank’s website for a guide on the average treatment costs of a pet owner. The guide covers pets of different sizes (which will be more expensive) and the ranges of more premium vet services.
On average, you should expect to pay between £40 and £60 for a standard vet consultation. An emergency consultation, particularly out-of-hours, could cost up to £200 depending on the practice.
Vet costs variate depending on where you go for treatment and which part of the country you are in. If you are in a relatively expensive part of the UK, such as London, you could expect to pay a lot more for your vet bills.
There are some vets that provide lower-cost services to cater to lower-income households, and in some areas, you may even find a not-for-profit clinic.
If you can’t afford a vet bill, there are many options for you.
Vets will often offer their services via payment plans, so you can choose to spread the cost if you can’t afford to pay it in one lump sum. However, make sure that you can still pay this back in time.
In the UK, you can also approach certain charities in order to get help paying your vet bills. If you are on universal credit or other benefits, then you can use these options to get help. Here are four of the best options in the UK if you think you can’t pay your vet bill.
PDSA
The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PSDA) is a charity that specifically helps pets in need. If you are receiving certain benefits, such as housing benefits or support with your council tax, you can qualify for help. You must also be within a catchment area of a PDSA practice.
Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust can help provide you with access to free vet care if you are struggling. If you are homeless or facing homelessness, you can get up to 100% of the treatments covered, whether that be preventative or emergency care that your pet needs.
Blue Cross
If your pet needs urgent treatment and you need help with vet bills, then you can try Blue Cross, which can give owners support if they cannot afford veterinary treatment. If you receive certain means-tested benefits, then you can qualify for low-cost treatment for your pet.
Cats Protection
Many charities, such as Cats Protection, offer discount schemes where you can save money on various treatments and procedures that your pet may need. Cats Protection offers access to various discount schemes on its website that you can use to save money on your vet bills.
Pet owners on Universal Credit should look into each of these options and assess whether they are eligible, as in some cases the vet bills can be completely covered.
It is also advised that when you get a new pet, you should look into pet insurance. Pet insurance can be very manageable and can save you from having to pay a huge sum if your pet suddenly needs emergency care.
There are many pet insurance providers that you can use in order to get help paying your vet bills. Some policies can be as low as £5 a month and can cover a range of emergency procedures. Think – if a single emergency consultation can cost up to £200, this is more than worth it.
You can get a personal loan to help with your vet bills. At Creditspring, we offer a variety of personal loans which can be paid back in manageable instalments.
We help people in the UK with tools and resources to achieve financial stability, and if you’re looking for help with your vet bills, then one of our personal loans may be an ideal way to cover it.
Another option to get help paying vet bills is to take out a loan, which will offer a payment plan for your vet bill.
Pet loans are simply personal loans, whereby you will obtain a fixed rate and repayment terms. However, this will depend on the provider.
Vet bills can come in a variety of forms, so it is important to make sure that you have the correct model in place to help you manage the costs.
Getting help with your vet bills is relatively simple, and by using this guide, you can make sure that you are well set up to tackle vet bills. By using one, or a combination the tips in this guide, you can ensure that your vet bills are taken care of and your pet is receiving the right treatment when needed.
Preparing in advance is also a beneficial move to take. If you have an emergency savings fund for your pet’s medical expenses, this can be a great way to make sure you are not too impacted by vet bills. You can also get pet health savings accounts, which are essentially high-yield savings accounts which can be accessed to pay for vet bills.
So, don’t forget that personal loans can be an option, as well as emergency loans if you need some extra cash to pay for your pet’s medical expenses.
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