COVID-19 Vaccination Eligibility 2025–26

This year, eligibility for Influenza (Flu) vaccination is largely unchanged from previous years.

However, for COVID-19 the government has significantly restricted who is eligible. Only the following cohorts are eligible for COVID-19 vaccination this year.

1. Age eligibility

• Anyone aged 75 or over on the date of vaccination.
• Anyone who will turn 75 by 31 March 2026 (i.e. born on or before 31 March 1951).

2. Medical eligibility

Only a narrower group of immunosuppressed patients are eligible:

• Patients undergoing chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy
• Solid organ or bone marrow/stem cell transplant recipients
• All stages of HIV infection
• Multiple myeloma, leukaemia, lymphoma, or other haematological malignancies
• Inherited immunodeficiencies (e.g. IRAK-4, NEMO, SCID, complement disorders)
• Biological therapies (e.g. anti-TNF, alemtuzumab, ofatumumab, rituximab)
• Immunomodulators (e.g. protein kinase inhibitors, PARP inhibitors, steroid-sparing agents such as cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate)
• Long-term immunosuppressants for autoimmune

3. Care Home or Nursing Home Residents

This is a significant change from previous years. More than 90% of people under 75 who were eligible for COVID-19 vaccination in previous years are no ineligible to be vaccinated on the NHS.

Pharmacies have also been given the exact strict criteria.

Published: Aug 27, 2025