The RSPCA and PDSA are often mentioned in the same breath, but they work differently. The RSPCA runs a smaller number of its own hospitals and clinics plus two mobile units, prioritising owners who need help most, with eligibility assessed locally rather than through one fixed national rule — it's worth contacting your nearest RSPCA branch directly to check.
PDSA runs a more structured membership scheme, PDSA Pet Care, open to existing clients within a participating practice's catchment area who receive at least one qualifying means-tested benefit (Housing Benefit, means-tested Council Tax support, or Universal Credit with the Housing Element, among others). Membership costs £4.50 a month or £54 a year, and covers one consultation and one vaccination annually, plus a 20% discount on further treatment — though it excludes out-of-hours services and the pet travel scheme's own vaccines.
Neither charity is a substitute for a standard vet during a trip if you don't already meet their specific eligibility criteria — they exist primarily to support owners who would otherwise struggle to afford care at all, not as a general discount route for visitors. For most travelling pet owners, a regular vet practice or pet insurance remains the realistic option.