Flu vaccination
Flu vaccines are safe and effective. They're offered every year on the NHS to help protect people at risk of flu and its complications.
Flu vaccination
Booking
You will receive an invitation from the NHS if you are eligible for the vaccine.
You can book a vaccine appointment online, via the NHS App or by calling 119 for free.
Who is eligible for the flu vaccine?
Those eligible for a flu vaccine include:
- pregnant women
- all children aged two or three years on 31 August 2025
- primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
- secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
- adults aged 65 and over
- people in clinical risk groups
- 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 health and social care workers.
The children's nasal spray flu vaccine is given in schools by a community immunisation team.
Babies and children aged six months to two years with certain health conditions will be offered a flu vaccine injection instead of the nasal spray.
Find out more and book a community clinic for children aged two or three, primary school children and secondary school children.
Getting your free vaccine
The best time to have a flu vaccine is in the autumn before flu starts spreading. The seasonal flu campaign runs from September to March.
You can have a free NHS flu vaccine at:
- your GP surgery
- a pharmacy offering the service (if you're aged 18 or over)
- some maternity services, if you're pregnant
- catch-up community clinics (for children).