The NHS has confirmed that flu jab appointments will open on Tuesday, September 1, for some eligible groups, while seven other cohorts will have to wait until October 1 before they can receive their vaccination.
NHS England has set out the full list of who is eligible on each date. From September 1, pregnant women and all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2026 can book their flu jab. This also includes primary and secondary school-aged children, from reception up to year 11.
Young people aged 17 and over attending a special educational needs (SEN) school who are also in a clinical risk group are eligible from the earlier date, as are all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years.
Who must wait until October 1
From 1 October 2026, the following seven groups become eligible for the free flu vaccination:
- Everyone aged 65 years and over
- Adults in clinical risk groups, from age 18 to under 65
- Residents of long-stay residential care homes
- Carers in receipt of carer's allowance, or those who are the main carer of an elderly or disabled person
- Close contacts of people who are immunocompromised
- Rough sleepers and those using homeless hostels or night shelters aged 16 years and over
- Frontline social care workers without access to an employer-led occupational health scheme
Frontline social care workers include those working in registered residential care or nursing homes, domiciliary care, voluntary managed hospices, and personal assistants employed through direct payments or personal health budgets.
Government urges eligible to book
Labour Party Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Yvette Cooper said: “Vaccinations play a vital role in protecting those most at risk from flu and they are also crucial for relieving pressures on our NHS over the winter months.
“Everyone who is eligible for a free vaccination will be notified through their phone or in the post, and the system for booking appointments is now open.
“Together, we can save lives, support the most vulnerable, and ensure our NHS is there for everyone who needs it this winter.”
The NHS booking system is now open for those eligible from September 1, with the October 1 cohorts expected to be invited as the date approaches. The staggered rollout is designed to prioritise younger and clinically vulnerable groups first, before extending to older adults and frontline workers.
