The NHS winter vaccination campaign kicks off next week, with appointment slots open from 1 October. Here’s the lowdown on what you need to book.
As we hit late September, winter viruses are beginning to circulate, so now is just the right time to get vaccinated.
There are some changes to who’s eligible for particular vaccines this winter, so it’s worth knowing what exactly you’re entitled to.
“As well as the seasonal vaccines for Covid and flu, you should make sure you are up to date with all the vaccines you are eligible for,” says Dr Julie Yates, deputy director for immunisation programmes at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
“This includes RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), shingles and the pneumococcal vaccine.”
It looks like the over-80s will not be eligible for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine again this winter.
This is despite new evidence of its effectiveness in this age group, and a government review that declared it would be cost effective to offer the vaccine to this age group.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the expert scientific advisory committee that advises the UK government, published a statement in the summer recommending that the RSV vaccination programme be extended to all those over 80 and all older people in care homes. The JCVI recommended that the RSV vaccine could be given at the same time as Covid jabs.
But this advice is still under review by the Department of Health. That means it’s highly unlikely any changes would be implemented this year.
As it stands, the vaccine will only be given to adults turning 75 on or after 1 September 2024, who remain eligible until their 80th birthday, and adults already aged 75 to 79 on 1 September 2024 as part of a catch-up cohort (see eligibility).
“Those aged over 80 are not currently eligible to receive the vaccine," says Dr Yates. “It has been agreed, however, that those who were originally eligible, but whose eligibility ceased as they turned 80 on or before 31 August 2025, should continue to be able to access the vaccine, pending these decisions.
“The Department of Heath will consider the JCVI recommendations and will provide the policy decisions on any further expansion programme.”
However, there are concerns that the delay could potentially cost thousands of lives this winter. RSV is an infectious disease of the airways and lungs, and can result in pneumonia and life-threatening conditions. It causes between 5,000 and 7,500 deaths in older adults in England and Wales every winter, the vast majority being over 75.
Dr Hamid Merchant, head of bioscience at the University of East London, highlighted the new research findings to Saga earlier this year. He commented at the time that “offering vaccines to under-80s for free on the NHS and asking over-80s to wait or receive it privately at significant cost is against the ethos of the NHS”.
Professor Jugdeep Dhesi, consultant geriatrician at Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust, and President of the British Geriatrics Society (BGS), says: “We believe vaccination is key to improving healthcare, and reducing admissions and potential deaths.
"That’s why the BGS agrees with the recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that the RSV vaccination programme be extended to all those over 80, and we look forward to seeing this become government policy."
Len Parsons, 81, a retired telecoms manager who lives in Rayleigh, Essex, was one of many Saga Magazine readers who contacted us last winter, angry that they could not get the RSV vaccine on the NHS.
“I’m glad the committee has seen sense and recommended that the over-80s get it, but the delay in the Department of Health actioning this is totally unacceptable,” says Parsons. “It’s absolutely crazy that the group most vulnerable to this virus will not get the vaccine. It just doesn’t make sense – they should be first in line to be protected.
“Thousands will die because of this delay. I have my flu and Covid jab booked for early October – why can’t I have the RSV shot at the same time? I looked into having it done privately but it was going to cost me £250. Why should we have to pay?”
The new RSV programme that targets older adults’ coverage has reached 65% in the first year of implementation.
Covid is much less of a threat to public health than it was at the height of the pandemic. Between 2020 and 5 May 2023, when the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that the pandemic was over, just under 227,000 people died in the UK with Covid as one of the causes of death on their death certificate.
Deaths peaked on 19 January 2021 when 1,490 Covid deaths were registered in a single day.
By contrast, the latest available figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that out of 10,018 deaths registered in the week ending 4 July 2025, only 0.5% of them involved Covid – that’s just 50 cases.
But the virus remains a threat to vulnerable groups.
This year’s autumn Covid vaccination programme will run from 1 October 2025 to 31 January 2026, and those eligible include adults aged over 75, residents in a care home for older adults, and those aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed.
“As there are now much higher levels of immunity against Covid in the population (due to both the vaccination programme and many people having had a natural infection), Covid is now a relatively mild disease for most, though some more vulnerable people may still become seriously ill and hospitalised due to the illness,” explains Dr Yates.
The JCVI advised moving to a more targeted approach for the autumn 2025 programme. Eligibility is now focused on offering the vaccine to those who are immunosuppressed and older people who are at the greatest risk.
Health Ministers accepted the advice from the JCVI and confirmed the eligible groups for the upcoming Autumn 2025 programme.
“The vaccines offered this year will be the same brands but will be based on a different strain of Covid than those offered before,” says Dr Yates.
“Based on the available information so far, there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccines in current use will be less effective against the current dominant strains of XFG and XFG.3.
“It is normal for some viruses to mutate and change over time. The UKHSA is monitoring all available data relating to the virus that causes Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) variants in the UK and abroad, and we continue to publish our findings in our regular disease surveillance reports.”
Flu can cause serious illness, resulting in hospital admissions and even deaths. Official figures reveal that there were 7,757 deaths due to flu in England during the 2024/25 winter flu season. But experts estimate that vaccination averted between 96,000 and 120,200 hospital admissions in England.
Based on scientific advice from the JCVI, those eligible for a flu shot this autumn/winter include those aged 65 years and over, people living long term in care homes, and those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined in the Influenza chapter of the Green Book). These include people with chronic respiratory, heart and neurological liver and kidney diseases, diabetes and immunosuppression due to disease or treatment.
Others who are eligible include those receiving carer’s allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person, close contacts of immunocompromised people, and frontline workers in social care settings including care homes, registered home care providers and hospice providers.
Pregnant women, children aged two and three, and eligible school-age children from reception to year 11 are also entitled to protection.
If you had the flu vaccination last year, you need another one this year.
“The flu viruses can change from one winter to the next”, explains Dr Yates.
“Flu vaccines are updated for each winter to give protection against the strains of flu that are most likely to be circulating. For this reason, we strongly recommend that even if you were vaccinated last year, you should be vaccinated again this year.
“Also, protection from flu vaccination goes down with time, so even if some of the strains are the same you should have a flu vaccine again each flu season.
“The vaccine should provide protection throughout the current flu season.”
“The UK has successful flu vaccination programmes in older adults, where we see vaccine uptake levels reaching or exceeding the WHO target of 75 per cent,” says Dr Yates
Speak to your GP or practice nurse, or alternatively your local pharmacist, to book a vaccination appointment.
The NHS National Booking System opened on 1 September for all eligible individuals to book their winter flu and Covid vaccination, with appointments starting from Wednesday 1 October.
The flu vaccine is free for all eligible individuals.
Various health clinics, practices and pharmacies may offer the Covid vaccine privately for those not eligible for the national campaign.
High street chemist Boots charges £21.95 for private flu vaccinations and £98.95 for Covid vaccinations.
Pneumococcal vaccine protects against infections, including pneumonia, meningitis and sepsis caused by specific type of streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria.
“From age 65 adults are eligible for a single dose of pneumococcal vaccine,” explains Dr Yates. “People with health conditions that put them at higher risk of more severe pneumococcal disease may be offered the vaccine at an earlier age.”
Pneumococcal (PPV) vaccination rates have remained stable in recent years with coverage reaching around 85%.
Research published earlier this year caused excitement as an association was found between having the shingles jab and a 20% reduced risk of dementia over seven years.
“The shingles vaccine is offered as part of an all-year-round programme,” says Dr Yates. “All older adults become eligible when they turn age 65 or 70.
“Those aged between 70 and 80 years should already have been offered a shingles vaccine but should catch-up if they have missed out.”
“Yes – a flu vaccine can be given at the same time as all routine vaccines,” says Dr Yates. “However, RSV isn’t normally arranged to be given at the same appointment as your flu vaccine.
“In certain clinical circumstances, your doctor or nurse can safely offer them at the same time.”
The RSV vaccine is delivered year-round and can be given at the same time as the Covid vaccine, shingles or pneumococcal vaccine, but it is recommended to be given separately to the flu vaccine for greater effectiveness.
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