Annual flu letter for 2025/26 published

The Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England have jointly published the national flu vaccination programme letter today (13th February 2025) for the 2025/26 season.

Eligible cohorts

There are no changes to the eligible cohorts for the 2025/26 season.

Timing

From 1st September 2025 and in line with the 2024/25 season, pharmacies will only be able to vaccinate pregnant women.

Based on Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice, from October 2025, vaccination of the other adult cohorts will commence, with the exact starting date to be confirmed by NHS England in due course.

Reimbursed vaccines

The letter advises that JCVI advice for 2025 to 2026 noted that the World Health Organization advised that one of the antigens which forms a component of flu vaccines is no longer warranted. As a result, manufacturers have either already received, or applied for, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approval to produce a trivalent formulation for the 2025 to 2026 season.

There has been one change to the advice for adult flu vaccines for 2025 to 2026 recommended by JCVI, as the adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccine (aTIV) is now licensed from age 50 years and over.

When ordering flu vaccines, pharmacy owners should order the JCVI advised first line vaccines irrespective of whether they are currently described as quadrivalent (Q) or trivalent (T) formulations in the table below.

The letter provides a reminder that contractual requirements for all commissioned NHS flu vaccination providers will state that to receive payment for flu vaccination and reimbursement of flu vaccine they will need to use the specific flu vaccines outlined above for the appropriate cohort and administer vaccines in line with the announced and authorised cohorts. Commissioners will actively recover any payments made for the incorrect vaccine administered.

It goes on to say that first line vaccines should always be ordered for a given cohort.

Once the vaccination campaign has started, if providers need additional stock, second line vaccines should only be ordered if first line options are not available to order. Clinics should be planned using the recommended first line vaccine. Where a provider does not have a first line vaccine in stock, patients should be directed to an alternative provider who has stock of a first line vaccine or told to rebook when the new stock is available.

Vaccination with a second line vaccine should only be considered on an exceptional basis where there is a valid reason why the patient may not return for a further appointment. Practices and community pharmacy should aim to minimise the need for this by procuring adequate stock before the campaign starts.

Commenting on the publication of the letter, David Onuoha, Service Development Manager, Community Pharmacy England said:

“The earlier publication of the annual flu letter is welcomed to allow pharmacy owners to finalise their vaccine orders for the 2025/26 flu vaccination season.

“Pharmacy owners should read the letter and make sure they consider the changes to the reimbursed vaccines. As part of their forward planning and vaccine procurement, pharmacy owners are also encouraged to consider the reinforced advice regarding the timing of the service, the restriction on the use of second line vaccines and the advice to place orders with more than one manufacturer to ensure receipt of sufficient stock.”

Read the annual flu vaccination programme letter for the 2025/26 season