Who is eligible for a flu vaccine?

Who can have the flu vaccine?

The flu vaccine is given free on the NHS to people who:

• Children aged 2 or 3
• Primary school aged children
• are 65 years old or older
• under 65 years old in a clinical risk group
• are pregnant
• are in long-stay residential care
• receive a carer’s allowance, or are the main carer for an older or disabled person
• live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone who has HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
• frontline health or social care workers

When can I have the flu vaccine?

If you are in one of the following groups you can have a flu vaccine from 1 September 2025:

• pregnant women
• all children aged 2 or 3 years
• 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

Then from October 2025 (exact start date to be confirmed), vaccinations will be offered to all other eligible patients.

Where to get the flu vaccine

You can have a free flu vaccine from the NHS at:

• your GP surgery
• a pharmacy offering the service
• your midwifery service if you’re pregnant
• a hospital appointment

If you work in frontline health or social care, you should have the flu vaccination at work, or at a pharmacy if you are unable to be vaccinated by your employer.

If you are not eligible for a free flu vaccine, you can also buy a flu vaccine during the autumn and winter at a local pharmacy, subject to stock availability. Please speak to a pharmacist for more information.