The NHS free flu vaccine is given to people who:

• are 65 years and over (including those who will be 65y by 31 March 2024)
• have certain health conditions (see link opposite for the definition from the NHS website)
• are pregnant
• are in long-stay residential care
• frontline health or social care workers

Carers, the clinically extremely vulnerable, and household contacts of the clinically extremely vulnerable; all of whom were able to have a free NHS flu vaccination last year, are not currently eligible.  The NHS may well decide to include these, but at the moment we cannot vaccinate these patients.

There is a separate programme for children:

• children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2023
• all primary school children (reception to year 6)
• all year 7 in secondary school
• children aged 2 to 17 years with long-term health conditions (see link opposite for the definition from the NHS website)

Traditionally the NHS offered a free annual flu vaccination to everyone aged 65y.

During the pandemic the NHS extended the annual flu vaccination programme to include people aged 50-64y. 

However this is NOT the plan at the moment.  If you are in this age group you will only be able to get a free NHS flu vaccination if you belong to one of the groups listed opposite.