Flu vaccination programme 2026/27
The UK Health Security Agency, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care have published their introductory letter for the 2026/27 flu immunisation programme.
There will be no changes to the eligibility criteria for free flu vaccination this year. This means that from 1 September 2026 the following people will be eligible:
- pregnant women
- all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2026
- primary school and secondary school-aged children (from reception to year 11)
- (individuals 17 years and over attending a special education needs (SEN) school and who are in a clinical risk group may also be vaccinated alongside their peers)
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter)
From 1 October 2026 the following people will be eligible:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza Chapter)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- close contacts of immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer-led occupational health scheme, including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets), or Personal Health budgets, such as personal assistants
Please plan to ensure that the people that you support and your homecare staff are aware of, and able to access the free vaccination. Further details and promotional materials will become available closer to the time.
