Vaccinations are the best way to keep us from getting sick. They save millions of lives around the world every year. Before vaccines came to the UK, diseases like smallpox and polio made people very sick. Today, because of vaccines, these diseases are gone or very rare in the UK.
How vaccines work
Vaccines safely teach your body how to fight off germs. They help your body make antibodies.
It is much safer for your body to learn how to fight germs through a vaccine than by getting sick. Once your body knows how to fight a disease, it can protect you for a very long time.
All vaccines are tested for years before they are released. This helps make sure they are safe for you and your family. Even after a vaccine is approved in the UK, experts continue to review it.
Flu vaccines
The flu vaccine helps to protect you against flu. Flu is a common illness, but it can sometimes make people very poorly. The NHS offers a free flu jab every year ahead of winter to help people who need extra protection.
Who should have the flu vaccine
The flu vaccine is recommended if you are at higher risk of getting very ill from flu.
You can get the free NHS flu vaccine if you:
- Are aged 65 or over
- Are aged 18 to 64 and have certain long-term health conditions
- Are pregnant
- Live in a care home
- Are the main carer for an older or disabled person, or get Carer’s Allowance.
- Live with someone who has a weakened immune system
- Are homelessness or staying in a shelter.
Carers and healthcare staff on the frontline can get a free flu vaccine with work.
How to get the flu vaccine
Most people who are eligible can get their flu vaccine from 1st October 2026. Pregnant women can get vaccinated from 1st September 2026.
Depending on your situation, you can get your flu vaccine from:
- Your GP surgery
- A local pharmacy offering NHS flu jabs (if you are 18 or older)
- Your maternity service (if you are pregnant)
- Your care home (if applicable)
- Your employer (if you are a health or social care worker).
- Book a flu vaccination
Vaccines for children
If your child is due a jab, contact your GP surgery to book an appointment. You do not have to wait for them to message you first. The jab might be given at your GP surgery or at a children's clinic.
Vaccination UK gives children their jabs at school in Harrow. A form will be sent home to parents first. Children whose parents have given permission will get their jab at school. If your child misses their jab day, they can go to a catch-up clinic.
Vaccines during pregnancy
You will be offered a few jabs while you are pregnant to protect you and your baby. None of these jabs contain live germs, so they cannot make you or your baby ill. See the full childhood immunisation schedule.
Whooping cough
It is best to get this jab between 16 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. If you reach 20 weeks and have not been offered it yet, speak to your midwife or GP surgery.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
RSV causes coughs and colds. It usually goes away on its own, but it can cause breathing problems in young babies. Getting the RSV jab at 28 weeks of pregnancy helps protect your baby for their first six months.
Coronavirus (COVID)
It is safe to get the COVID vaccine at any time during your pregnancy. It protects both you and your baby from getting very ill.
Vaccines for when you're travelling
If you’re going abroad, you may need extra jabs to protect against diseases in other countries.
You can get these jabs for free at your GP surgery:
- Polio
- Typhoid
- Hepatitis A
- Cholera
These travel jabs are free and can stop illnesses from spreading. This helps protect people in the UK when travellers return. For more help and advice, talk to your GP, consult a pharmacist, or visit the NHS website.
