The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has called on the government to extend its Energy Bill Relief scheme beyond the proposed six months and to consider further measures to support under-pressure veterinary practices.
In a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, BVA president Malcolm Morley called for an extension of the energy bill discount beyond March 2023 for essential businesses such as veterinary practices, as well as additional steps such as additional relief on business rates and a reduction in VAT in order to avoid to avoid an animal welfare crisis and serious implications for UK food safety.
Many veterinary practices have already experienced sharp rises in energy costs, rising from 1.5% to 3% of turnover in some cases. This, combined with increased costs for equipment and medicines, has placed more pressure on a profession which is already struggling because of workforce shortages, says the BVA.
Some pet owners are already starting to feel the impact of the cost-of-living crisis with vets reporting increasing cases of animals with issues that could have been avoided as a result of owners making difficult decisions to delay seeking treatment due to financial pressures, the organisation continued, expressing fears this will only get worse should veterinary practices have to close or increase the cost of their essential services.
In addition, the essential work of vets in relation to the UK’s food safety standards is at risk should vets be left unable to do their jobs.
Morley said: “Vets play an essential role in monitoring and enhancing animal health and welfare, and food safety in UK agriculture, from the farm gate through to trade certification and border checks, as well as providing vital veterinary care for the nation’s pets. It is therefore essential to the UK economy, to our food supply chains, and to the health and wellbeing of our animals, that they are able to continue their work through the challenges we are currently facing.
“While we welcome the Chancellor’s announcement in the Growth Plan that the GB Energy Bill Relief Scheme will be in place for six months for non-domestic customers, we are extremely concerned that the subsequent increase in costs after this period will result in more practices being forced to close, further exacerbating the workforce shortages facing the profession, increasing the cost of veterinary services and having a devastating impact on the economy.”
