Pets

Have you requested support from your local charity?

If you need support paying for vet bills, there are several charities and websites that can help:

PDSA Eligibility Checker

To qualify for free or subsidised treatment, pet owners must be in receipt of certain benefits, such as Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support, and live within the catchment area of a PDSA hospital or clinic.

RSPCA

The RSPCA has clinics and practices across England which offer reduced cost veterinary assistance to pet owners who meet their criteria.

Blue Cross

Blue Cross operates in England and Wales, providing means-tested support to low-income families who live in the catchment area of its hospitals or clinics.

Dogs Trust

Dogs Trust provides free and subsidised treatments to pet owners who are homeless or in a housing crisis. The scheme runs in 112 towns and cities across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Cats Protection

Cats Protection offers financial assistance to cash-strapped owners wishing to spay or neuter their cat. It’s also involved in numerous programmes and works with partner charities such as PDSA and Dogs Trust, as well as local authorities, to promote the benefits of neutering. You can request financial assistance via the helpline on 03000 121212.

If you want to cut the price of your pet insurance

Pet insurance is there to provide cover in the event of an accident or if your pet becomes ill (depending on your policy type), as the treatment provided can be expensive.

This means many things outside of routine treatment are naturally worth claiming for, as long as your insurance covers it.

Comparison websites

Shop around by checking out comparison websites, like GoCompare, where you can find the best deals on pet insurance to suit your needs.

Consider whether it’s better to pay annually or monthly

Have a look at what the difference is in cost between paying annually or spreading the cost over monthly instalments. It might be cheaper to pay for your policy upfront, but if you can’t afford to pay a large up-front cost, monthly, smaller instalments might be more manageable for you

If you have more than one pet, look at multi-pet insurance

If you have more than one pet, look into what discounts are available for insuring more than one pet with the same insurer

Microchip your pet

All dogs have to be microchipped by law. If you have a cat, insurance providers will ask if your cat is microchipped and you may be able to get a discount if they are!

If you’ve adopted your pet from a recognised animal charity or rescue centre

Some insurers will offer a discount so it’s worth double-checking what’s available to you.

Help with the costs of pet food

Pet food banks provide a supply of free pet food to people in financial hardship, potentially helping to prevent animals from being handed into rescue centres or abandoned.

Contact your local vet to find your nearest pet foodbank.

You can also sign up to mobile apps for coupons and discounts at pet shops such as Pets At Home. Their VIP membership scheme, which is free to join, offers discount codes and sometimes even free items.