Vets urge UK government to extend energy bill support
The BVA is urging the Government to extend the GB Energy Bill Relief for veterinary practices beyond March 2023.
BVA president Malcolm Morley has called on Kwasi Kwarteng to extend the UK's Energy Bill Relief Scheme for veterinary practices beyond March 2023 amid fears of an “animal welfare crisis”.
In an open letter to the Chancellor, Dr Morley stresses that vets “play an essential role” in monitoring animal health and welfare, food safety in UK agriculture, and providing 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,” he adds.
The economic crisis has already seen many veterinary practices experience steep rises in their energy bills, from 1.5 per cent to three per cent turnover in some cases. When combined with rising costs for equipment and medicines, this puts yet more pressure on a profession already struggling with workforce shortages.
Vets are also reporting a rising number of animals with issues that could have been prevented because owners are deciding to postpone treatment owing to their own financial pressures. The BVA fears this sitation will only worsen should practices be forced to close or increase the cost of essential services.
In the letter, BVA calls on the chancellor to consider more support for already-struggling practices, not only by extending the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, but also to consider further support measures for veterinary practices, such as additional relief on business rates and a reduction in VAT.
Dr Morely writes: “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.
“With this in mind, we are urging the Government to extend the GB Energy Bill Relief for essential businesses, like veterinary practices, beyond March 2023. In addition, we are seeking the Chancellor’s urgent consideration of further support measures which may be provided to assist veterinary practices, such as additional relief on business rates and a reduction in VAT.”
You can read the full letter at bva.co.uk
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
