Overview

• Free NHS vaccinations are available now through March 31, 2026 for people aged 65 and over, those with certain long-term conditions, pregnant people, care-home residents, main carers, and household contacts of immunocompromised people.
• Experts advise booking soon because immunity takes time to develop and the vaccine is updated each year to match circulating strains.
• Higher-risk groups highlighted include older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic illnesses such as respiratory disease, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease.
• Clinicians say vaccination reduces the risk of severe flu and complications including pneumonia, sepsis, and death, which can in turn ease pressure on hospitals and emergency services.
• Access routes include contacting your GP for dedicated clinics, using paid walk-in services at pharmacies, or workplace programmes, with targeted outreach urged to address lower uptake in some ethnic-minority and more deprived communities.