Illegal animal cruelty costs Great Britain up to £991 million a year, new report finds

A new report from the Animal Welfare Evidence Centre, an independent research body backed by the RSPCA and the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust, estimates that illegal animal abuse and neglect costs Great Britain between £830 million and £991 million a year. Public bodies such as the police, courts and local authorities account for an estimated £93 million to £141 million of that, with donor-funded charities covering the remaining £730 million to £844 million. The researchers, from WPI Economics, describe the figures as a lower-bound estimate, since they do not capture harm that goes unreported or the wider social costs of cruelty and neglect.

The RSPCA says the findings put a number on a burden that has previously been difficult to quantify, and is using the report to call on government for more support for prevention rather than relying on charities and enforcement bodies to react after harm has already occurred. Its asks include targeted VAT relief on essential pet food and veterinary care, statutory funding for community pet food banks, and support for local authorities to meet their duties to protect animals, such as arranging temporary boarding when a sole owner is hospitalised. The charity has also called for government to review how rising running costs, including increases to employer National Insurance contributions, affect welfare charities that receive no specific exemption.

For dog and horse owners and breeders, the report is a reminder that the case for investing in prevention, rather than only responding after the fact, now has a clearer evidence base behind it. The Animal Welfare Evidence Centre, launched in September 2026, says further reports modelling the cost and drivers of animal harm are planned, which should give welfare organisations, regulators and policymakers an ongoing reference point as breeding and pet care standards continue to evolve.