Flu vaccination
The flu virus spreads more easily in winter when we spend more time together indoors and can cause serious illness.
Most eligible adults will be able to get their flu vaccine from 1 October 2025 until 31 March 2026.
Pregnant women and all eligible children will start from 1st September 2025.
It is important to top up your protection, even if you have had a vaccine or been ill with flu before, as immunity fades over time and these viruses change each year.
If you are vaccinated and do catch flu, symptoms are likely to be milder and recovery time will be shorter.
Find out more about the flu vaccine here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
Booking your vaccine
Visit the NHS National Booking Service here – Book, change or cancel a free NHS flu vaccination at a pharmacy – NHS
Eligibility
From 1 September 2025 the following people will be eligible for a flu vaccine:
- Pregnant women
- Find out more about the flu jab in pregnancy here – https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/flu-jab/
- All children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2025 – Parents of children who are aged 2 or 3 on or before 31 August 2025 should contact their GP surgery to book their child’s flu vaccination.
- Primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6) – School-aged children will mainly be offered their flu vaccinations at school. There will be further opportunities for children to get vaccinated in NHS community clinics, including for the home educated.
- Secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11) – School-aged children will mainly be offered their flu vaccinations at school. There will be further opportunities for children to get vaccinated in NHS community clinics, including for the home educated.
- All children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
- Find out more about the child flu vaccine here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/child-flu-vaccine/
From October 2025 the following people will be eligible for a flu vaccine:
- Frontline workers in a social care setting – Contact Occupational Health, your GP surgery or your local Pharmacy
- Find out more about eligibility here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
- Those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
- Find out more about eligibility here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
- Those in long-stay residential care homes
- Find out more about eligibility here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
- Those aged 65 years and over
- Find out more about eligibility here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
- Carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- Find out more about eligibility here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
- Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- Find out more about eligibility here – https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/flu-vaccine/
