Flu vaccine
It's important to get your seasonal flu vaccination if you're at higher risk of getting seriously ill from the flu. Seasonal vaccines are offered because viruses change, and protection fades over time.
Flu Vaccine
The flu vaccine helps protect against flu, which can be a serious or life-threatening illness. It's offered on the NHS every year to people at higher risk of getting seriously ill from flu from autumn or early winter, but you can usually get it up until the end of March.
Find out more about the flu vaccination. Find out more about why vaccination is important and the safest way to protect yourself.
Who?
The flu vaccine is offered to people most at risk of getting seriously ill from flu or who are most likely to pass flu to other people at risk. The following people are eligible for the free flu vaccine this season:
- aged 2 and 3 years on 31 August 2023
- eligible school aged children (Reception to Year 11)
- those aged 6 months to under 65 years in clinical risk groups
- people that are pregnant
- all those aged 65 years and over (by 31 March 2024)
- those in long-stay residential care homes
- carers, those in receipt of carer’s allowance or main carer of an older or disabled person
- those that live with someone who is more likely to get infections (such as someone living with HIV, has had a transplant or is having certain treatments for cancer, lupus or rheumatoid arthritis)
- frontline workers in a social care setting that do not have access to occupational health
The NHS website has more information about who is eligible for a flu vaccination. Please wait to be invited by your GP.
If you do not fit into the NHS eligibility criteria then you can book a flu jab privately through many local pharmacies.
When?
If you are eligible, flu vaccines will be available at local pharmacies, GP practices, and walk-in clinics until 31 March 2024.
Where?
If you are eligible, you could receive your vaccination at the following settings:
- Pharmacy
- GP Practice
- Walk-in clinic
- Hospital
How?
You can book your flu vaccine online at a pharmacy or contact your GP practice if you think you're eligible for a free vaccine. You can call 119 free of charge if you need help with booking an appointment. You can speak to a translator if you need to.
You can use textphone 18001 or the NHS 119 British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter service if you have difficulties communicating or hearing, or if you are a BSL user.
If you require a home visit due to being housebound, please contact your specialist or GP practice. If they have been unable to organise a home visit for your vaccination, please contact us using the contact details: cpicb.pet@nhs.net or 0800 279 2535. You can also visit their website for more information.
Alternatively, please check our walk-in page to find your nearest walk-in clinic.
Young children
If your child is aged two or three years old, or if they are aged six months to two years with certain health conditions, you can book a flu vaccination appointment at their GP practice
If your child is of school age, you do not need to book at their GP practice. They will be vaccinated in schools or community clinics through the school aged immunisation service. You will receive a consent form from your child's school which you need to fill in and return to ensure they get their flu vaccination at school.
Find out more about children's flu vaccine.
Easy Read
Every year in England lots of people get flu in winter. Flu is a virus that makes you feel ill. Some people with a learning disability are more likely to be very ill if they get flu. The best way to avoid getting flu is to have a flu vaccine. This is an injection and it is free. There is an easy read guide to the flu vaccine which you might find helpful.
If you would prefer to watch a video, please have a look at this video on YouTube.