The annual flu vaccination letter for 2025/26 was yesterday (February 13) published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DH), the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and NHS England (NHSE), announcing start dates for the NHS programme along with the eligibility criteria for this year.
It set out that “from September 1”, pharmacies and other providers will be able to offer free flu vaccines to pregnant women and those in the “children’s programme”.
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The rest of the adult cohort will receive vaccinations from “the beginning of October” - although the exact date is yet to be confirmed - with the “majority” completed “by the end of November”, the letter said.
It explained that the plans follow advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) that “it is preferable to vaccinate individuals close to the time when the flu virus is likely to circulate – which typically peaks in December or January”.
But the government noted that GPs should bring forward free vaccination in “exceptional circumstances” such as the start of immunosuppressive treatment.
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While there have been “no changes to the eligible cohorts” this year, the eligibility for reimbursement for adult vaccines has changed slightly, with the adjuvanted influenza vaccina (aTIV) now licensed from 50 years and over.
And the letter confirmed that the vaccination of all “frontline health care staff”, including pharmacy staff, should be offered from the start of October but “will not qualify for payment or reimbursement”.
Eligibility
The letter set out the full eligibility for next season’s NHS flu programme:
From September 1 2025:
- pregnant women
- all children aged two or three years on August 31 2025
- primary school aged children
- secondary school aged children up to year 11
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from six months to less than 18 years
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From October 2025, exact start date to be confirmed by NHSE in due course:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18-65 in clinical risk groups
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers in receipt of carer’s allowance, or 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
“Limited” stock
The letter explained that “due to manufacturing processes and commissioning arrangements, some vaccines may only be available in limited quantities” and batches “may be subject to delay”.
“Therefore, it is recommended that orders are placed with more than one manufacturer to ensure providers receive sufficient stock,” it said, adding that “providers should remain flexible when scheduling vaccination sessions and be prepared to reschedule if necessary”.
The government advised that first line vaccines should always be ordered for each cohort ahead of the season, adding that “clinics should be planned using the recommended first line vaccine”.
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“Where a provider does not have a first line vaccine in stock, patients should be directed to an alternative provider that has stock of a first line vaccine or told to rebook when the new stock is available,” the letter said.
It added that after the campaign has begun, second line vaccines must only be ordered if first line options are “not available” and vaccination with these only “considered on an exceptional basis where there is a valid reason why the patient may not return for a further appointment”.
And it also advised that the RSV vaccine “should not routinely be scheduled to be given to an older adult at the same appointment as a flu vaccine”, noting that some data indicates this “may reduce the immune response” to both vaccines.
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It comes after an NHSE primary care bulletin last month (January 16) revealed that “some pharmacies” on the Flu Vaccination Pharmacy Finder for the current flu season “do not have vaccine stock”.
“Pharmacies should ensure that the website accurately represents NHS seasonal flu vaccination availability to prevent waster journeys by the public,” it added.
Meanwhile, Northern Ireland last month became the only country in the UK to extend its current NHS flu vaccination programme to the 50-64 age group amid increasing pressure on hospitals.
