One in ten cat owners still risking a £500 fine - a year on from microchipping law
A year on from the introduction of a cat microchipping law in England, more than one in ten cat owners could still be at risk of a £500 fine for failing to comply.
The legislation, which came into effect on 10th June 2024, requires all pet cats in England, including those kept indoors, to be microchipped and registered on a secure database by the time they are 20 weeks old.*
Yet one year later, new data from Go.Compare pet insurance reveals that more than one in ten (13%) of cats in the UK remain unchipped, leaving their owners at risk of a fine of up to £500.
The law requires every cat’s microchip to be fitted by a trained professional, such as a vet, and that their contact details be kept up to date on an approved database. Microchips contain vital information such as:
- Your cat's unique identification number
- Your name
- Your home address
- Your mobile number
- Your email address
Rhys Jones, pet insurance spokesperson for Go.Compare commented: “It’s concerning to see that, a year on from the new legislation in England, many cat owners still haven’t had their cats microchipped.
“The benefits of getting your cat microchipped go beyond making sure you are compliant with the law - should your cat wander off and go missing, it can make a real difference as to whether you are reunited or not.
“It’s a quick and minimally invasive procedure and can be done during a regular check-up with the vet. Not only does it provide peace of mind for you, but it is also often a requirement for travelling abroad with your cat, in the EU or beyond.”
To learn more about the importance of microchipping your pet and the measures you can have in place to protect your pet, visit: https://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/pet-microchipping/
To learn more about travelling abroad with your pet visit here: https://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/travelling-with-your-pet/
Contact Information
Rosie Johns
Notes to editors
**Based on all quotes for cat insurance from 1st January to 11th June 2025 through Go.Compare.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@Gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@Gocompare.com.
Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on X (Twitter); @Go.Compare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
More information can be found here www.Go.Compare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/