Immunisation

Normal immunisation schedule

UK 2026 Immunisation Schedule

This is the complete routine immunisation schedule and includes the childhood immunisation schedule, including the routine injections for babies, children aged 1 year, children in their pre-school year, vaccines offered whilst at school, vaccines for pregnant women and the immunisations for those over 65 years of age.

More information about specific immunisations

There are leaflets available with more information about some of the vaccines listed in the schedule above. Follow the links within the table to learn more about the individual vaccines.

There are also some leaflets available for the specific brands of vaccine given.

The body is given a vaccine which is a small dose of an inactive form of a bacteria or virus, or an inactive form of the toxin made by that bacteria or virus. As it is inactive, it does not cause infection.

The body makes antibodies and/or white blood cells (immune cells) against the bacteria, virus or toxin. Antibodies are proteins in the bloodstream that attack infections.

Once someone has been immunised, the antibodies and/or immune cells are ready to attack the germ if it begins to invade their body. More antibodies can quickly be made from cells which have previously made the particular antibody.

For some bacteria and viruses it has been difficult to produce a vaccine; however, technology is advancing and new vaccines will be available in the future.

Types of immunity

There are two main types of immunity: active immunity and passive immunity.

• Active immunity - is immunisation with vaccines and provides long-term protection against specific diseases.

• Passive immunity - is immunity passed on to a newborn baby through antibodies from the mother, usually via the placenta (and later through breast milk). It usually only lasts for a few weeks or month, except for measles and rubella which can last up to one year.

Immunisation is one of the most successful health interventions in modern history. It is so successful that some people forget how serious some conditions can be as they have never seen them. It is easy to forget how many children died from many of these conditions before immunisation became widespread. When vaccination rates drop, many of these conditions start to become more common again. At the time of writing, in early 2026, the numbers of cases of measles, for example, have increased significantly in the United States. 96% of these cases have occurred in children who are not fully vaccinated against measles. The numbers of cases in the UK are also rising.

Vaccines are not 100% effective but they do significantly reduce the chances of getting serious diseases.

It is important to recognise that vaccines are extremely safe. There are occasional adverse events, including anaphylaxis in both adults and children, and febrile seizures or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in children. These risks have remained the same (very tiny) over the last few years and are not increasing. There is no evidence at all of any long-term risks such as autism, infertility, developmental delay or other conditions. There are many non-scientists who claim these risks but these have been very clearly disproven. (See Further Reading section for more information).

Vaccine hesitancy has been declared to be one of the top ten threats to global health.

Benefits of immunisation include:

• Protects against serious diseases: Vaccines have made diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, measles and polio rare in many countries.

• Has eradicated deadly diseases: Smallpox has been wiped out worldwide, and polio is close to being eliminated.

• Saves lives: Even relatively mild illnesses can cause severe or life-threatening complications—vaccination prevents these and saves countless lives.

• Protects vulnerable people: Vaccinating children and adults helps protect those who can’t be vaccinated or have weak immune systems.

• Keeps communities healthy: High vaccination rates prevent outbreaks and stop diseases from spreading.

• Prevents disease from returning: When vaccination rates drop, serious illnesses and deaths can rise again.

It is best to have the immunisations at the correct time as the earlier the child is protected the better. However, if the usual schedule is interrupted or delayed for any reason, it can be resumed at any time. There is no need to start again.

For some vaccines a delay may change the schedule slightly and this is explained in the leaflets for those individual vaccines.

If you travel abroad

• Check whether vaccines are recommended for the country you are visiting.

• Some GP practices offer travel vaccinations; others may not. If your GP practice does offer them then you will need to book an appointment in plenty of time. Nurses can advise which vaccines you need, as they have up-to-date information for each country.

• Private travel clinics are also available if your GP does not provide them.

The flu vaccine (seasonal influenza immunisation)

• The flu jab helps protects against each new strain of flu that arrives in the UK each autumn.

• The flu virus changes each year, so a new vaccine is made annually. This is based on the best scientific estimates of which virus is going to be the highest risk each year.

• The flu vaccine helps to protect people who are more likely to get serious complications from flu.

• It is offered each year on the NHS to people in at-risk groups.

• Others can choose to pay for the flu jab privately, for example at pharmacies.

Pneumococcal immunisation

• The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) provides immunisation against pneumococcal and is part of the routine childhood immunisation programme.

• Pneumococcus is a bacteria that can cause pneumonia and meningitis.

• People at higher risk of infection are also offered this vaccine as well as those people over the age of 65.

Tuberculosis (TB) immunisation

• The BCG vaccine (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) provides immunisation against tuberculosis.

• It is only offered to high-risk people in the UK. This is because TB is relatively uncommon in the UK.

Hepatitis B immunisation

• The hepatitis B vaccine provides immunisation from hepatitis B. It is part of the routine childhood vaccination.

• People who are at increased risk of contracting hepatitis B - for example, healthcare workers - will also be offered the hepatitis B immunisation.

• People travelling to certain countries may also be advised to have the vaccine, although in this situation it is not available on the NHS.

Chickenpox immunisation

• The varicella vaccine is offered to healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, etc) who have not previously had chickenpox and are not immune against it.

• The vaccine protects healthcare workers and the patients they care for.

• A blood test can check if people have had chickenpox in the past, although this is not needed if they are certain they have had it.

• Close contacts of people with a weakened immune system (e.g. siblings of a child with leukaemia) should also be vaccinated if they are not immune.

• It may be given to people who are likely to develop a weakened immune system in the future (e.g. those needing high-dose steroids).

• As of December 2025, this is now also offered to all children at 12-13 months and at 3 years 4 months. The chickenpox immunisation is now in the same vaccine as MMR (now called MMRV).

Shingles immunisation

• The shingles vaccine is offered to adults from age 60-79 to protect against shingles.

• Shingles can occur at any age but is more common and causes more side effects in older people.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) immunisation

• The RSV vaccine is offered to adults aged 75 and over to protect against RSV.

• It is also offered to all pregnant women from 28 weeks of pregnancy in order to protect their baby.

• RSV is a very common virus causing coughs and colds but can cause severe disease in the elderly and in young children.

Immunisations for pregnant women

• In the winter months, all pregnant women are advised to have the flu jab (influenza immunisation).

• Pregnant women are also advised to have the whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine from 16 weeks of pregnancy to protect their newborn baby from whooping cough until the baby is old enough to start the vaccination programme.

• Pregnant women are also advised to have the RSV (respiratory syncitial virus) vaccine from 28 weeks.

• This is because both pertussis and RSV are very risky for young babies who are too young to have the vaccine themselves.

Other situations

• In some special circumstances, other immunisations may be considered.

• For example, workers who handle animals may be offered the rabies vaccine.

• People in close contact with someone who has certain forms of meningitis may be offered specific immunisations.

• If you think you fall into one of these groups, discuss it with your specialist or your occupational health team.

Polio and Tetanus immunisation in Adults

Some adults may not be fully immunised against polio and tetanus, particularly if they were born before these vaccines were routinely given in the late 1950s.

If you are unsure, your practice nurse can advise you about your immunisation status. It may also be visible on your NHS app.

There are very few reasons why people should not receive their full course of immunisations. Immunisations are very safe and effective.

The main reasons for a person not to have a vaccine are if they have had a severe allergic reaction to:

• A previous dose of that vaccine.

• An ingredient in the vaccine that was also present in a different vaccine.

People who have had very severe allergic reactions to egg should not have the yellow fever vaccine. It used to be advised that caution was required for people with egg allergies and the flu vaccine; this is no longer the advice.

Certain vaccines (for example, the BCG vaccine) are not usually given to women who are pregnant. They may not be suitable for people whose immune systems are not working very well (people who are immunosuppressed). Vaccination is usually delayed if people have a fever at the time as they may be less effective. See the separate leaflets on individual immunisations for more details.

Vaccines are almost all carried out in general practice. The exceptions are the vaccines offered to school aged children. These are carried out in schools - sometimes by school nurses, or sometimes outsourced to private companies.

You will usually be offered your baby's first vaccine at the same time as their check-up at the practice. Subsequent invitations for vaccines will come by text, by phone or by letter. The schedule is also in the red book so please contact your practice if you think you have missed an invitation.

Invitations for other vaccines will also come by text, by phone or by letter. Again, please contact your practice if you think you have missed an invitation.

Dr Mary Lowth is an author or the original author of this leaflet.