Flu Vaccination Campaign 2025

Posted on:

We will soon be entering flu season! The NHS recommends that you get your free flu vaccination if you are eligible (please see further information on eligibility below).

  • Flu vaccinations for Children aged 2-3 years, and for those who are pregnant will be available at your GP practice from 1st September 2025.
  • Flu vaccinations for everyone else eligible will be available at your GP practice from 1st October 2025.

Your GP practice will contact you using your preferred method of communication as soon as the vaccines are delivered and you are able to book your appointment. This may be a self-booking link via text message, allowing you to book your vaccination appointment yourself.

Adult Flu Vaccination

The flu vaccine is recommended for people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu.

It’s offered on the NHS every year in autumn or early winter.

You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:

  • Are aged 65 or over
  • Have certain long-term health conditions
  • Live in a care home
  • Are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or receive a carer’s allowance
  • Live with someone who has a weakened immune system

Frontline health and social care workers can also get a flu vaccine through their employer.

The flu vaccine is recommended for people with certain long-term health conditions, including:

  • Conditions that affect your breathing, such as asthma (needing a steroid inhaler or tablets), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or cystic fibrosis
  • Heart conditions, such as coronary heart disease or heart failure
  • Chronic kidney disease
  • Liver disease, such as cirrhosis or hepatitis
  • Some conditions that affect your brain or nerves, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy
  • Diabetes or Addison’s disease
  • A weakened immune system due to a condition such as HIV or AIDS, or due to a treatment such as chemotherapy or steroid medicine
  • Problems with your spleen, such as sickle cell disease, or if you’ve had your spleen removed
  • A learning disability
  • Being very overweight – a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above

If you’re unsure whether you are eligible for the flu vaccine, please call your GP surgery and speak to the reception.

For more information about the adult flu vaccination, please click here.

Children’s Flu Vaccination

Flu vaccinations are offered to:

  • Children aged 2 or 3 years (through your GP practice)
  • Children aged 6 months to 17 years with certain long-term health conditions (through your GP practice or Hospital department)
  • School-aged children, Reception to Year 11 (through your school)

It’s important for children with certain long-term health conditions to have the flu vaccine every year.

This includes children aged 6 months to 17 years who have:

  • Conditions that affect their breathing, such as asthma (needing a steroid inhaler or tablets) or cystic fibrosis
  • Had a lung or airways infection in the past that meant they needed to stay overnight in hospital
  • Serious heart conditions
  • Kidney or liver disease
  • Some conditions that affect their brain or nerves, such as cerebral palsy
  • Diabetes
  • A weakened immune system due to a condition or treatment, such as HIV or AIDS, chemotherapy or steroid medicine
  • Problems with their spleen, such as sickle cell disease, or if they’ve had their spleen removed
  • A learning disability

If you’re unsure whether you or your child are eligible for the flu vaccine, please call your GP surgery and speak to the reception.

For more information about childhood flu vaccinations, please click here.

Want to know more?

Vaccination UK is hosting two free webinars for parents of school aged children in September.

Please see below details and access links:

17th September, 20:00 – 21:00: FREE PARENT WEBINAR: The flu vaccine in children and young people | Vukschools
 
18th September, 18:00 – 19:00: FREE PARENT WEBINAR: The flu vaccine in children and young people | Vukschools

Topics covered: why does my child need the vaccine, side effects and safety, nasal vs. injection (pork gelatine content), flu data from previous years and a Q&A session.

Flu Vaccination in Pregnancy

It’s recommended that all pregnant women have the flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they’re at. It’s free for pregnant women.

For more information about the flu vaccination in pregnancy, please click here.