Flu Vaccination

Flu vaccination is safe and effective. It's offered every year through the NHS to help protect people at risk of getting seriously ill from flu. The 2025 flu vaccine will be offered from September.

Eligible groups

From 1 September 2025:

pregnant women
all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2025
primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years

From October 2025:

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 19 )
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

All frontline health care workers should be offered flu vaccine from the start of October.

Flu is a highly infectious and common viral illness that is spread by coughs and sneezes. It is not the same as the common cold.

Flu is caused by a group of different group of viruses and symptoms tend to be more severe and last longer. You can catch flu all year round, but it is especially common in winter, which is why it is also known as ‘seasonal flu’.

Why flu vaccination is important

Flu vaccination is important because, while flu is unpleasant for most people, it can be dangerous and even life threatening for some people, particularly those with certain health conditions.

The best time to have your flu vaccine is in the autumn or early winter before flu starts spreading. But you can get your vaccine later.

You can find out more about the flu vaccination on NHS England's flu vaccination pages.

Poster urging people to get the flu vaccination and to see if they are eligible for a free one

Flu vaccine and coronavirus (COVID-19)

Flu vaccination is important because:

if you get flu and COVID-19 at the same time, research shows you’re more likely to be seriously ill
getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19 will provide protection for you and those around you for both these serious illnesses

If you’ve had COVID-19, it’s safe to have the flu vaccine. It will still be effective at helping to prevent flu.