Flu’s VIP List: Who’s Eligible For The Flu Jab and Why?
Who is eligible for a free NHS flu vaccine in 2025–26?
For the 2025–26 season, you can get a free NHS flu vaccine if you fall into one or more of these groups:
- Children aged 2 or 3 years (on 31 August 2025)
- All school-aged children (Reception to Year 11)
- Children aged 6 months or over in a clinical risk group (for example, those with asthma, diabetes, or other long-term health conditions)
- Pregnant women
- Adults aged 65 years or over (by 31 March 2026)
- People living in long-stay residential care homes
- Carers (those in receipt of a carer’s allowance, or the main carer for an elderly or disabled person)
- Those living with someone who is immunocompromised (such as someone with HIV, or undergoing certain cancer treatments)
- Frontline health and social care workers.
Why are these groups prioritised?
Flu can be much more than “just a bad cold.” For some people, it can lead to serious complications like pneumonia, bronchitis, or worsening of existing health conditions. The groups listed above are at higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they catch flu, or they work with or care for people who are vulnerable.
By vaccinating these groups, the NHS aims to:
- Protect those most likely to suffer complications.
- Reduce the spread of flu in the wider community.
- Ease pressure on hospitals and health services during the busy winter months.
How is eligibility decided each year?
Eligibility for the flu vaccine is reviewed annually by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert group. They look at the latest evidence on who is most at risk from flu, how the virus is spreading, and which groups would benefit most from vaccination.
Each year, the JCVI may update the list of eligible groups based on new research, changes in the flu virus, and the needs of the NHS. This ensures the programme is always focused on protecting those who need it most.