Adult Flu vacs service fee in 2025/26

When the revised service specification for the 2025/26 Adult Flu Vaccination service was published last month, we informed pharmacy owners that the fee for this year was still under consideration by Ministers, following our submission of an evidence-based case for an increase in the fee.

The decision has now been set out in the Drug Tariff for September 2025, with a refusal to increase the fee. This means the fee will remain at £9.58. We understand this decision has been driven by the available budget that NHS England holds for vaccination services.

The proposed fee for the 2025/26 season was unacceptable to Community Pharmacy England and as we could not agree it, Ministers took the decision to impose the fee on this occasion.

This very disappointing decision means the fee remains the same as that paid in the previous six seasons.

Costs have increased significantly for pharmacy owners over that period, with the GDP inflator showing cost inflation of over 22%, before sector specific increases in wage costs and the recent increases in the National Minimum Wage and employers’ National Insurance contributions.

Community pharmacies play an important part in the annual flu vaccination campaign, vaccinating millions of people. In doing so, they help to protect many patients throughout winter and reduce the impact of seasonal illness on other parts of the NHS, particularly hospitals. It is clear that costs for pharmacy owners have increased significantly over recent years and these should be reflected in the funding for the service.