If you’ve been weighing up whether to stay permanent or try locum work (or jump the other way) you’re in good company.
It’s one of the most common conversations our UK consultants are having in 2026. And it’s rarely about the work itself. It’s about income stability, schedule control, where your career is heading, and what kind of life you actually want outside the practice walls.
There’s no universally right answer. But there is a right answer for you, right now. This guide breaks down what each path actually looks like in the current UK market, so you can make a decision that fits your life.
The honest truth: this isn’t a forever choice
Before we get into it, one thing worth saying upfront: choosing locum or permanent isn’t a one-way door.
Plenty of UK vets move between the two over the course of a career. Some go locum for a year to reset after burnout, then return to permanent in a better-fitting practice. Others use permanent roles to build experience, then switch to locum when they want more control over their schedule.
So if you’re feeling stuck on “what if I pick wrong” – relax. You’re not picking forever. You’re picking what works for the next chapter.
What permanent work looks like in the UK right now
The UK permanent market has shifted in recent years. Practices (both independent and corporate) are competing harder for qualified vets than they were even three years ago. That’s good news if you’ve not tested the market recently.
What’s on offer at the better end of the market in 2026:
- Salaries that have moved noticeably upward, particularly for experienced small animal vets
- Genuine four-day weeks, compressed hours and flexible rotas in more practices than ever
- Real CPD budgets and clear pathways into certificate-level study
- Mental health support, paid wellbeing days and proper out-of-hours cover that actually protects your time off
Permanent suits you if:
- You want a stable, predictable income with paid holiday, sick pay and pension contributions
- You’re building toward a specialism, certificate or clinical lead role
- You value team continuity – knowing your colleagues, your clients and your regulars
- You want the security of an employed role, especially if you’ve got a mortgage application coming up or family planning on the horizon
The risk to flag honestly: a bad permanent role can absolutely grind you down. But the market is more competitive now, which means you have more leverage than you might think. If the role you’re in isn’t working, there are better ones out there.
What locum work looks like in the UK right now
Locum work in the UK has matured significantly. For many experienced vets, it’s a deliberate, sustainable way of working that pays well and protects their time.
What locum life actually looks like in 2026:
- Day rates that, for experienced small animal vets, comfortably exceed what most permanent roles pay on a pro-rata basis
- The ability to book (and unbook) your own diary
- Variety: different practices, different teams, different caseloads, often within a single month
- Geographic flexibility: take a week off, work two weeks in Cornwall, then head back home
Locum suits you if:
- You want full control over when you work and when you don’t
- You’re recovering from burnout and need to reset on your own terms
- You want to travel, take longer breaks or test out different practices before committing
- You’re comfortable managing your own tax, insurance and pension (or happy to use an accountant)
The honest trade-offs: no paid holiday, no sick pay, no employer pension contributions. You handle your own tax. Income can be steady but it can also be less predictable, particularly when you’re getting started. None of these have to be dealbreakers if they’re planned for.
A simple way to think about the decision
If the deciding question feels overwhelming, try shrinking it.
Ask yourself two things:
1. What do you want more of in your week? Stability and team, lean permanent. Flexibility and variety, lean locum.
2. What’s your next 12 months really about? Building toward a specialism, certificate or leadership role – permanent gives you the runway. Resetting, travelling, testing different practices or earning more in less time – locum gives you the freedom.
That’s it. The rest is detail you can work out with a good recruiter.
“What if I want something different entirely?”
Sometimes the honest answer isn’t locum or permanent in the UK. It’s a move altogether.
We work with a lot of UK vets who, somewhere in the middle of weighing this decision, realise what they actually want is a change of scene. A year working across Australia. A permanent role in New Zealand. A practice in Ireland with a different pace. Singapore’s high-spec urban practice scene.
That’s a conversation we know well, and one we’re happy to have whenever you’re ready.
How GVC fits in
Whatever path makes sense for you, the role of a good recruiter is to make it feel manageable – not to push you toward whichever option suits us.
Our UK team works across permanent and locum placements, in independent and corporate practice, in every part of the country. We know what genuinely good practices look like, and we know which ones to steer clear of. We know what day rates and salaries are actually achievable in your region right now, and we’ll tell you straight.
If you want to explore your options without committing to anything, that’s exactly the conversation to have.
Ready to see what’s actually out there?
You don’t need to know what you want before getting in touch. Most of the vets we work with don’t – that’s the point of the conversation.
Register with GVC and one of our UK consultants will be in touch to talk through what’s possible. Locum, permanent, somewhere new entirely – whichever direction fits your life right now.
GVC connects UK vets with permanent and locum roles across the country, and with veterinary careers around the world. Whatever your next move, we’re here to make it feel manageable.
