Flu vaccinations 2024-2025

Below you can find information on the influenza (flu) vaccination programme for 2024-2025.

This information is focused on the flu vaccine and provides authoritative resources on flu and flu vaccinations. 

If you are having any difficulties accessing vaccination in your frontline care role, please contact the Advice Centre. 

Influenza vaccination 2024-2025 

The flu immunisation programme in the UK is based on recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent expert advisory committee which advises all UK health departments on vaccination and immunisation programmes. The guidance is available in the UK via the Government's Immunisation against infectious disease document, and in Chapter 19 of The Green Book. 

Vaccine types 

Vaccine types are recommended by the JCVI for use as part of the NHS Annual Influenza Vaccination Programme. The choice of which vaccine to use is advised by the JCVI, see: JCVI statement on influenza vaccines for 2025 to 2026 and annual flu letters below. 

Eligibility 

The flu vaccine is recommended for the following eligible groups across the UK for the 2024-2025 flu season:

• everyone aged 65 years and over
• individuals under 65 with certain medical conditions, including children and babies over 6 months of age
• all pregnant women
• all children aged 2 and 3 years (provided they were aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2024)
• all primary school children
• some secondary school children (Years 7 to 11)
• care home residents
• carers
• those living with people who are immunocompromised
• frontline health and social care workers.

See the Green Book Influenza chapter 19 for full details on eligible groups. Eligibility for vaccination may differ across the UK countries. Please see the respective annual flu letters:

• England: National flu immunisation programme 2024 to 2025 letter
• Northern Ireland: Seasonal influenza vaccination programme
• Scotland: Flu immunisation programme 2024
• Wales: National influenza immunisation programme 2024 to 2025 (WHC/2024/028).

Health and social care workers

Health care workers have a responsibility to protect their patients and for nurses this is enshrined in the NMC Code. Flu vaccination for health care workers helps to stop the transmission of the flu virus and is fully supported by professional bodies like the RCN and the British Medical Association (BMA).

Having a flu vaccine annually remains the best way to protect against catching or spreading flu. We recommend that all members with direct patient care (including students on placement) are fully vaccinated against flu to reduce the risks of spreading the infection to the people they care for. See: RCN position on health care staff and the influenza vaccine.

General guidance

• RCN: Immunisation clinical topic
• RCN: Medicines management clinical topic
• UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA): Immunisation Against Infectious Diseases: The Green Book
• GOV.UK: Flu vaccination programme 2024 to 2025: healthcare practitioners
• Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
• Flu campaign resources: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Immunisation training

England and Wales

The RCN endorsed National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation Training for Registered Healthcare Practitioners is now within the UKHSA are applicable in England and Wales. The principles outlined in the standards may provide immunisers with some useful guidance and may be of use for those in Scotland and Northern Ireland as well.

Other useful resources include:

• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE): Flu vaccination: increasing uptake Quality Standard (QS190 2020)
• Former Public Health England (PHE): Immunisation training of healthcare support workers: national minimum standards and core curriculum (Revised 2015)
• NHS England: Flu immunisation e-learning programme. An interactive flu immunisation e-learning programme, updated with the 2024/2025 flu season information. The resource is written by UKHSA and produced by NHS England’s e-Learning for Healthcare. It is available for anyone involved in delivering the flu immunisation programme.

Scotland

• NHS Education for Scotland: Seasonal flu programme.

Wales

• Public Health Wales: Immunisation training resources and events.

Northern Ireland

• HSC Public Health Agency: Healthcare worker flu resources.

Country specific guidance

England

• UKHSA: Annual flu programme resources
• NHS England: Seasonal influenza collaboration agreement 2024/25  
• NHS: Influenza vaccination
• UKHSA: Flu vaccinations: supporting people with learning difficulties. 

Northern Ireland

• Public Health Agency: Seasonal Influenza public health information and Flu Aware NI
• HSC Public Health Agency: Information for health professionals.

Scotland

• Public Health Scotland: Flu immunisation programme overview
• NHS Education for Scotland: Immunisation e-Learning resources
• Public Health Scotland: Winter vaccines.

Wales

• Public Health Wales: Immunisation e-Learning
• Public Health Wales: Immunisation training resources and events
• Public Health Wales: Flu vaccination.