Norfolk Live, Norwich (2026)

22/09/2026

🐶 raft of new rules for anyone using a vet in the UK has now come into force from today - including legally binding prescription fee caps and publishing price lists.

🐈‍⬛The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said its final reforms for the sector will help pet owners better navigate the vet services market.

⚠️Other legally binding measures will include a price comparison website and mandatory branding by the large groups to boost competition and drive down prices.

The Veterinary Services Market Investigation Order 2026 substantive Order was published by the CMA today (September 22) . It implements the package of remedies decided in the CMA’s final report.

The Competition and Markets Authority, which has been investigating the sector since 2023, discovered that customers could be paying double for commonly prescribed medicines from vet practices than they would online, leading them to spend “hundreds of pounds more”. The authority suggested that vets should cap prescription fees at £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for any additional medicines and inform customers about potential savings from purchasing medicines online with those prescriptions.

“These measures will help prompt consumers to consider buying medication online and protect them from having to pay excessive prices for the prescriptions they would need to do so,” it stated.

The CMA said pet owners using a vet practice that is part of a larger chain can expect to see changes starting on September 23. The measures follow the CMA finding that fees have risen at almost twice the rate of inflation, with pet owners not being given enough information about their vet and the prices of treatments.

CMA has made the remedies from its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets legally binding as of Tuesday September 22 2026. Key requirements in the Order are designed to improve transparency, empower pet owners, and increase competition.

Main measures include prescription fee cap — written prescription fees are capped at £21 (for the first medicine, with additional fees for subsequent ones). Practices must also tell clients if cheaper medicines may be available online.

Price lists — Practices must publish a comprehensive price list for standard services eg consultations, common procedures, and cremation options.

Written estimates and itemised bills — A written estimate must be provided in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs), plus an itemised bill afterwards. Emergencies are the main exception.

Ownership transparency — Veterinary businesses must clearly state whether they are part of a larger corporate group or are independent (on signage, premises, websites, etc.).

Comparison tools — Price and ownership information will be made available via the RCVS “Find a Vet” service, which can share data with third-party comparison sites.

Other measures cover areas such as clinical freedom policies, complaints handling/redress, out-of-hours (OOH) contracts (some notice-period changes apply from the day the Order is made), and end-of-life/cremation information.

Most remedies have phased compliance deadlines of 3–12 months, with larger businesses generally having shorter deadlines (some as early as December 2026) and smaller businesses (typically those with 14 or fewer first-opinion practices) given longer to comply (up to around September 2027 depending on the specific remedy).

Sue Davies, Which? Head of Consumer Rights Policy, said: “Pets are cherished members of the family in millions of homes across the UK, so access to transparent, trustworthy vet services is vital. Too many pet owners who have had a poor experience with their vet feel that the system is stacked against them. The conclusion of the CMA’s market investigation is a positive milestone which should stop pet owners getting ripped off by overpriced medicines, hidden fees, and unclear pricing at a time which is already likely to be very stressful.

“There is only so much the CMA can achieve on its own as the current legislation regulating the veterinary market is seriously outdated. This is why it is vital that the government keeps moving forward with reforms that prioritise an independent regulator and a dedicated veterinary ombudsman to fix flawed complaint processes and ensure pet owners and their pets are properly protected.”

What the main changes will be:
Prices on websites:

Fewer than 40% of practices have prices on their websites - they cover few services and are sometimes hard to find.

Change: Practices publish a comprehensive price list for standard services – including consultations, common procedures, diagnostics, written prescriptions and cremation options.

Comparing prices

Currently there is no easy or centralised way to compare local practices.

Change: Price and ownership information available to pet owners through Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) ‘Find a Vet’ service which will share the data with third-party comparison sites.

Is it a chain

Less than half of people using a large veterinary group knew that their practice was part of a chain.

Change: Vet businesses must make it clear whether they are part of a group or an independent business – common ownership will be displayed on signage, at the premises and online.

Price in advance

Less than half of people received pricing information in advance of recent non-routine treatment. Only 29% of these were given price information in writing

Change: Practices provide a written estimate in advance for any treatment expected to cost £500 or more (including aftercare costs) – plus an itemised bill. Emergencies are the only exception for written estimates.

Prescriptions

Over 70% of pet owners purchase long-term medication from their vet practice even though many could save £200 a year or more if they bought online.

Change: Pet owners must be told they can have a written prescription which could save them money.

Charging for written prescriptions

Some pet owners are being charged high prices for written prescriptions – many practices charge £30 or above for each prescription.

Change: Written prescription fees are capped at £21 (for the first medicine) and £12.50 (for any additional medicines).

Independent advice:

Vets’ duty to provide pet owners with independent and impartial advice has the potential to be compromised by commercial pressure.

Change: Practices must have written policies in place to ensure vets are empowered to offer independent and impartial advice.

Poor value plans

Pet care plans can be poor value for people who do not use many of the services included.

Change: Pet plans clearly set out the price of each component, the total cost and how any advertised savings are calculated.

Cremation costs

Pet owners may be paying around £100 more for individual cremations than they would be if there was strong price competition.

Change: Practices provide clear, upfront prices for all cremation options including any add-ons – and offer the lower cost option of a communal cremation.

Switching provider

Vet practices have long notice periods in their contracts with out-of-hours providers and high exit fees can make it difficult for them to switch provider.

Change: Out-of-hours providers will be banned from imposing unreasonably long notice periods – so practices can easily end the contract if they can get a better service for pet owners elsewhere.

Complaints

The complaints system is ineffective with no mandatory process for vet practices or redress system when things go wrong for pet owners.

Change: Practices must follow a transparent, accessible in-house complaints process and engage in mediation where disputes cannot be resolved.

✍Ben Hurst

22/09/2026

Tech giants Meta, Google, OpenAI and Anthropic have been called to appear before MPs over artificial intelligence (AI) safety amid growing concerns over the risks posed by the fast-progressing technology.

The House of Commons Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee has invited representatives from the companies to give evidence at an urgent hearing on October 13, as it concludes its inquiry into the UK’s economic strategy for AI.

It comes after a string of warnings about the risks to humanity posed by AI have prompted calls for co-ordinated action to slow down the pace of its development.

In the hearings, MPs will examine whether firms should be legally required to submit their AI models to independent safety testing before releasing them, rather than deciding for themselves whether their systems are powerful enough to warrant scrutiny.

The panel will also consider whether companies accept mandatory reporting of serious safety incidents, including deceptive behaviour by AIs, and evidence of loss of human control.

The MPs will also explore what international requirements should be in place to prevent a “race to the bottom” in the industry, which is dominated by the US and China.

In letters to the four companies – key players in the AI boom – the committee said trust had emerged as the core issue in its probe, both in AI security and safety and in ensuring workers and businesses would not lose out in an AI-powered economy.

Chairman Liam Byrne wrote that “warnings of industry leaders and whistleblowers in recent weeks have demonstrated that the UK’s public policy framework and international agreements are not yet fit for the future”.

The companies have been asked to confirm by September 29 whether they will send representatives to the hearing and to provide written responses to the committee’s questions in advance.

✍By Sophie Wingate, Press Association Deputy Political Editor

22/09/2026

People seeking help with debts are being urged to watch out for “red flags” that could potentially make their issues worse.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said it is concerned that some people are being steered towards fee-paying debt solutions that may not be suitable for their needs, sometimes through high pressure sales tactics, misleading information or being advised by firms who do not have the appropriate permissions.

It said free, impartial debt advice is available to everyone – and no one should feel under pressure.

The FCA said warning signs to watch out for include feeling hassled, or repeatedly contacted, particularly after an online inquiry or unexpected phone call.

People may feel pressured to agree to a debt solution quickly over the phone or via WhatsApp, without time to properly consider their options.

Another red flag is being asked or encouraged to change details about income or outgoings on an application or assessment form, or being “coached” into what to put.

People may be pushed towards a fee-charging debt solution, such as individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) or debt management plan, without alternative debt solutions being properly explained or offered first.

Another warning sign is the person making contact not explaining who they work for. In some cases, their details do not match with the firm’s official details.

Alison Walters, director of consumer finance at the FCA, said: “Anyone struggling with debt deserves advice that puts their interests first.

“Free, impartial debt advice is available to everyone, and no one should be pressured or misled into paying for a debt solution that may not be right for them.”

People can find information on how to get free, impartial debt advice on the Government-backed MoneyHelper website.

They can also use the FCA’s Firm Checker service to confirm a firm is authorised and that its contact details match.

The FCA said people who are unhappy with an authorised firm can complain to it and if they are still unhappy they can take their complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

It said people should contact the FCA if they feel they have received poor debt advice, or been pressured into an unsuitable debt solution.

Vikki Brownridge, chief executive of StepChange Debt Charity, said: “People struggling with debt can be understandably worried about where to turn for help, particularly when they’re faced with adverts or offers promising a quick fix.

“We also know that it can be difficult to open up to others if you’re struggling with debt, so it’s natural people may look online for sources of support in the first instance.

“This can draw up a whole host of solutions offering ways to clear your debt – not all of which are trustworthy.

“It’s important to remember that you should never have to pay for debt advice.

“There are free, independent, and non-judgmental organisations like StepChange that can help you understand your options and find a solution that’s right for your circumstances.

“Be wary of anyone asking for upfront fees, making promises about writing off debt, or putting pressure on you to make a decision quickly.

“These are all red flags to watch out for, and we welcome the FCA taking action against providers that may not have consumers’ best interests at heart.”

✍By Vicky Shaw, Press Association Personal Finance Correspondent

22/09/2026

Parents have been warned that a baby side sleeper wedge product which was being sold online presents a “serious risk of suffocation”.

Pillows and soft toys are not advised to be placed in the sleep space for babies under the age of one as their presence increases the risk of overheating and airway obstruction, which have been associated with sudden infant death syndrome.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) said owners of the product are advised to stop using it immediately, and keep it out of the reach of children.

It said on Monday that the listing has been removed by online marketplace Amazon, adding that it did not meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005.

The OPSS said the product presented a “serious risk of suffocation when used in a sleep space for babies”.

The item, which is made in China, was listed online as a “Baby Side Sleeper Wedge with Removable Cover at 45 Degrees Side Wedge Pillow for Newborns, Fashion Provides Waist Protection and Anti-Roll Sleep Positioner for Babies 6-12 Months”.

The OPPS published a product safety alert for baby sleep pillows in December, highlighting the risk they may pose to babies.

In the alert, it warned that soft squishy materials “can cover a baby’s mouth and nose if they are pressed against it and could cause the baby to suffocate”.

The OPPS also warned that “if a baby is sleeping on a soft surface that their head can sink into, heat is prevented from escaping and they can get too hot”, adding that there is a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome if a baby overheats.

Sue Davies, Which?’s head of consumer protection policy, said: “Babies are being put at serious risk because dangerous products continue to make their way onto online marketplaces, despite the known risks they can pose.

“Which? has repeatedly shown how easy it is to find unsafe products on online marketplaces, so consumers cannot simply take platforms’ claims that safety is a top priority at face value.

“Until marketplaces are held properly accountable for the products sold by third-party sellers, dangerous products will continue to put lives at risk.

“The Government must urgently use the new powers it has under the Product Regulation and Metrology Act to update product safety legislation and impose a clear legal duty on online marketplaces for ensuring the safety of products sold through their third-party sellers, with tough enforcement for those that fall short.”

✍ By Sam Hall, Press Association

22/09/2026

Sick patients are “waiting hours” for pain relief while others are “deteriorating needlessly” due to a shortage of nurses, experts have warned.

Some are falling from hospital beds leading to broken bones or brain bleeds, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) warned.

A new report from the college shows how a shortage of nurses can have “serious implications for patient safety”.

It highlights how some hospital trusts are dealing with hundreds of patient safety incidents each month linked to having too few registered nurses on shift.

The report includes an analysis of NHS hospital board papers on “nursing red flags” – which are safety reports linked to staff shortages including delays to pain relief, essential medication and missed care.

It found reporting of these incidents is “inconsistent” across hospitals, but “in some cases, these safety-critical incidents are widespread with monthly trust numbers in the hundreds”.

One nurse in the East of England told the RCN: “On my unit, an elderly patient fell out of bed and suffered a brain bleed.

“Night staff were short and there was no-one outside the bay to witness the fall and help for at least ten minutes.

“Everyone was so worried about the brain injury that it took seven days to realise she actually had a broken hip as well.

“On every single shift, there’s at least one thing that doesn’t get done. This includes pain medication, particularly at night when staff have bigger caseloads, and the delays can be hours at a time.”

Another nurse in the West Midlands said: “A shift that has enough staff is considered ‘green’ and we haven’t had one in over six months.

“You just cannot give quality care if you’re looking after 10 acutely sick patients each.”

The report says there were around 23,000 nursing vacancies in England, but these figures “understate the true shortfall” as they do not account for frozen or unfunded posts.

The authors warn that staffing is “unevenly distributed across England” and highlighted how growth in the number of doctors has not been matched by the number of nurses.

Since 2009, nurse numbers increased by 33%, compared with 60% for doctors, the report states.

It adds that if nurse numbers had grown at the same rate as doctors, England would currently have more than 77,000 additional nurses.

Meanwhile, the report adds that nurse numbers have “failed to keep up with overall hospital workload”, with the authors calculating that if nursing numbers had kept pace in the growth in hospital activity then there would be 55,000 more nurses since 2009/10.

The report concludes: “Whichever approach is used, the conclusion is the same: England has a substantial shortfall in registered nursing labour, requiring at least tens of thousands more nurses and sustained long-term workforce investment.”

Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN general secretary and chief executive, said: “It’s utterly shocking that sick patients should wait hours for pain relief or vital medication while some are falling, breaking bones and deteriorating needlessly.

“The truth is patient safety incidents aren’t isolated and trusts are recording hundreds each month due to registered nurse shortages.

“The numbers are clear: we would have tens of thousands more nurses working in our NHS if we’d had the necessary investment to keep up with demand.

“Instead, our numbers have been held down, in contrast to other staff. When you have too few registered nurses, you get longer hospital stays, worse outcomes and more pressure on an already burned-out and exhausted workforce.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “This Government is putting more staff on the frontline, with 14,000 more nurses employed by the NHS now compared with July 2024.

“Alongside this, we are continuing to drive forward key patient safety reform, and from Tuesday, Martha’s Rule will be extended to hospital A&E departments in England, making it easier for staff and patients to ask for a second opinion.

“Our 10-Year Workforce Plan will put the NHS workforce on a sustainable footing and ensure the NHS has the staff it needs to deliver for patients, both now and in the future.”

✍ By Ella Pickover, Press Association Health Correspondent

21/09/2026

Tomorrow's weather forecast for Norfolk

21/09/2026

The planned closure of a Norfolk sugar beet factory has forced the Broads Authority to rethink its bid for £10million to fund projects telling the story of the industry.

Officials are revising a proposal they had hoped to submit to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), following British Sugar’s announcement that operations at Cantley sugar factory will cease next February.

The authority had planned to lodge an expression of interest, used by the fund to assess applications, by the end of the summer.

It wanted the money to support projects about the history of the sugar beet industry on the Broads, as well as supporting habitat restoration.

But the closure of the factory, alongside this year’s drought, has prompted officials to revise parts of the proposal before it is submitted.

Officers at the BA said: “We continue to speak with investment officers at the Heritage Fund in preparation of submitting our expression of interest for the next phase of funding.

“We have been adapting our draft expression of interest to address some of the larger changes to the area, including the recent drought and the future closure of the Cantley sugar refinery.”

Officials say the possible loss of the Cantley sugar factory would not only affect jobs and farming, but would also remove a key piece of the Broads’ identity as a working landscape.

If the application had been successful, it could unlock up to £10million over an eight-year period if agreed.

The Cantley factory was built on the banks of the Yare in 1912.

It was established by a Dutch company to refine locally-grown sugar beet which arrived at the site by boat.

The venture struggled in its early years because too few local farmers were growing sugar beet, and the factory closed in 1916.

However, concerns over Britain’s reliance on imported sugar during and after the First World War led to renewed support for domestic sugar production and the site reopened in 1920.

British Sugar announced plans to shut the site, the oldest sugar factory in the UK, in July.

All 104 employees are affected by the closure.

It is one of only four sugar beet factories left in the country.

The company said closing the site would support its plans to improve efficiency, restore competitiveness and support the long-term future of the industry.

✍Original copy by Ben Robinson, Local Democracy Reporter

21/09/2026

Normandy veteran Ken Hay, who survived capture just weeks after D-Day and spent years educating children about the war, has died aged 101.

The British Normandy Memorial, for which he was an ambassador, announced his death on Sunday, saying he “gave everything to support the Trust’s work in sharing the message of Remembrance”.

“His passion for education was unwavering,” the organisation said in a statement on social media.

“The countless schoolchildren whose lives he touched with his stories of courage and resilience nicknamed him ‘Grandad Ken’.

“We extend our most sincere condolences to Ken’s sons Chris and Jeremy, all the Hay family and his very many friends.

“Ken Hay MBE Leg d’Hon. An extraordinary gentleman whose remarkable life will never be forgotten.”

Mr Hay, from Upminster in East London, served in the 4th Dorset infantry regiment and landed at Courseulles-sur-Mer days after the Allied invasion of Normandy.

He was captured during a night patrol on July 7-8 and was taken to Zabrze in Poland, where he was put to work as a prisoner of war in a coal mine.

Speaking to the Press Association in 2024 about his capture, Mr Hay recalled his first feelings were of “dread” and “fear”.

“We went out on night patrol, was supposed to be doing a blow up of a self-propelled gun in no man’s land, but in fact, it was behind their lines,” Mr Hay said.

“So they let us through and then very unfriendly, they sealed it and wouldn’t let us back, so we had a battle.

“We had 30 went out on our patrol, 16 including my brother, who was a corporal, got back, five of us got captured and then presumably nine got killed.”

As the Russians approached, the prisoners were marched to a new location, approximately 1,000 miles away, during which many of them died.

During the three-month march, Mr Hay said he once “lay down to die” after it became too painful to continue, but two friends turned back for him and lifted him with an “arm around each shoulder”.

Eventually they were liberated by American troops and Mr Hay returned to the UK, via Reims, on May 4 1945.

Recalling the moment he made it to his mother’s house in Barking, he said: “They came running down the road to greet me.

“They were having breakfast, I’d had breakfast with the Army, so I just had a cup of tea with them and we all went off to mass.

“I’m a Catholic, and we all went off to mass and I was home in time for VE Day on the 8th of May.”

After the war, he was appointed an MBE for services to the community and received the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest order of merit.

Mr Hay regularly visited British schools to share stories of the war and answer questions, saying he believed it was his “duty to pass it on”.

Earlier this year, he attended a remembrance service at the General Montgomery monument in Colleville-Montgomery with fellow Second World War veteran Henry Rice as part of commemorations marking the 82nd anniversary of D-Day.

Recalling one of his school visits, Mr Hay said he had been asked by a 13-year-old girl how wars could be stopped.

He said: “I was stumped. How do you stop wars? And then Saint Paul came to my rescue… I said to her, ‘Love. Love yourself, your friends, your family at home, the people you met today, the people you met yesterday’.

“If we could all do that, there’d be no wars.”

✍Jessica Coates

21/09/2026

Plans for new homes in a Norfolk village have been thwarted over fears it would wipe out the gap separating it from a neighbouring community.

The bid to build on farmland at the western edge of Bracon Ash would have effectively merged the village with the adjacent Mulbarton.

But officials at South Norfolk Council have blocked the “unacceptable” scheme to try and keep the two settlements separate.

They say that building on the “undeveloped landscape gap” would reduce the space between Bracon Ash and Mulbarton, as well as contribute to the assumption they are already one village.

As part of the planning documents, the five-home scheme was criticised for trying to change the rural character of the area.

While Bracon Ash is home to around 580 people, recent estimates place Mulbarton’s population at almost seven times the size, with more than 4,000 people living there.

South Norfolk Council has been attempting to put a halt to settlements merging together as part of the urban sprawl across the district.

A “strategic” gap separates Hethersett and Wymondham so the open countryside can be maintained and keep the two areas apart.

✍Original copy by Ben Robinson, Local Democracy Reporter

21/09/2026

Household spending power has hit a six-month low as rising essential costs outstrip wage growth, according to supermarket figures.

Although wages continued to rise, higher transport, housing and energy costs absorbed an even greater share of household incomes, leaving families with less money available to spend, according to Asda’s latest income tracker.

Its figures suggest essential costs increased by 3.9% in August, outpacing year on year income growth of 3.8%.

This left families with an average of £260 a week after paying bills and other essential costs, the grocer said.

The tracker, which measures how much money households have left after paying taxes and essential bills, showed spending power growth slowed to 3.4% last month – the weakest level since March.

Lower-income households’ spending power fell by 1.9% over the past year, leaving them with an average weekly shortfall of £75 between what they earn and what they spend on essentials, the figures show.

Asda said household budgets were likely to remain under strain in the months ahead with inflation rising to a five-month high of 3.1% and the Bank of England signalling that interest rates could rise again if price pressures persist.

Pushpin Singh, managing economist at Cebr, which produces the tracker, said: “Growth in the Asda Income Tracker slowed further in August to 3.4%, its weakest pace since March. While earnings growth has picked up slightly, it was outpaced by a considerable acceleration in inflation.

“Inflation remains the primary risk to household spending power. Rising essential costs and the prospect of higher interest rates could place further pressure on discretionary incomes in the months ahead.”

✍Josie Clarke

Norfolk Live

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