Flu and COVID vaccinations 2026/27: who's eligible, and when you can book

Every autumn we get the same question at the counter: "Am I due a jab this year?" And every year the answer shifts slightly, because the eligibility rules are reviewed each season.

This year the two programmes look quite different from one another. The flu offer is broad. The COVID offer is narrow — much narrower than many people expect. Here's what actually applies for the 2026/27 season.

The flu vaccine: who gets it free on the NHS

The eligible groups for 2026/27 are unchanged from last season, with one addition. You can have a free NHS flu vaccine if you are:

1. aged 65 or over
2. pregnant
3. aged 18 to under 65 with a long-term health condition in one of the clinical risk groups — this includes asthma or COPD, diabetes, heart disease, kidney or liver disease, a weakened immune system, a neurological condition such as stroke or Parkinson's, and a BMI of 40 or above
4. living in a long-stay residential care home
5. a carer in receipt of Carer's Allowance, or the main carer of an older or disabled person
6. a close contact of someone who is immunocompromised
7. a frontline health or social care worker without access to an employer scheme
8. experiencing homelessness and aged 16 or over — this group has been added to the national programme from 1 October 2026

Children are covered separately: all children aged 2 or 3 on 31 August 2026, school-aged children from Reception to Year 11 (usually vaccinated in school), and any child aged 6 months to under 18 in a clinical risk group.

That list is longer than most people realise. If you have a long-term condition and you're under 65, you almost certainly qualify — and a surprising number of people in that group have never been invited.

Key dates

1. 1 September 2026 — pharmacies can vaccinate pregnant women aged 16 and over
2. 1 October 2026 — all other eligible adult groups can be vaccinated
3. 30 November 2026 — the date by which the NHS asks that the vast majority of vaccinations are completed
4. 31 March 2027 — the programme closes

Flu tends to peak in December and January, and the vaccine takes around 10 to 14 days to give you full protection. Booking in October or early November puts you in the best position. Leaving it until Christmas is cutting it fine.

The COVID-19 vaccine: a much shorter list

The autumn 2026 COVID programme runs from 1 October 2026 to 31 January 2027, and only three groups are eligible in England:

1. adults aged 75 and over
2. residents in a care home for older adults
3. anyone aged 6 months and over who is immunosuppressed, as defined in the Green Book

That's it. If you're 68 with diabetes, or 70 with heart disease, you qualify for a free flu jab but not a free COVID vaccine this autumn. The same was true last year, and it catches a lot of people out.

This isn't an oversight. The JCVI reviews the data each year, and the current advice reflects the fact that the risk of severe COVID has continued to fall year on year, and is now concentrated very heavily in the oldest age group and in people whose immune systems can't mount a good response on their own.

If you think you fall into the immunosuppressed group but aren't sure, that definition is quite specific — it covers things like ongoing chemotherapy, certain biologic and immunosuppressant medicines, organ transplant, and some blood cancers. Ask us, or ask your GP, rather than guessing.

How to book a COVID vaccine

NHS COVID vaccinations must be booked through the National Booking Service at nhs.uk/book-vaccine, through the NHS App, or by calling 119. This is a national rule — COVID appointments can't be booked directly through a pharmacy's own booking system.

Can I have both at the same time?

Yes, if you're eligible for both. Flu and COVID vaccines can be given together — usually one in each arm — and the NHS actively encourages this where possible. It's one appointment instead of two, and there's no evidence that having them together reduces how well either one works.

The RSV vaccine isn't routinely given at the same time as flu, though it can be if your clinician thinks it's appropriate.

What to expect afterwards

Most people have either no reaction or a mild one. The common effects are:

1. a sore or heavy arm at the injection site for a day or two
2. tiredness
3. a mild headache, aching muscles, or a slightly raised temperature

These usually settle within 48 hours, and simple paracetamol is fine if you need it. If you have both jabs at once, you may notice slightly more of this than with one alone.

The flu jab cannot give you flu. The adult vaccine is inactivated — there's no live virus in it. If you come down with something in the days afterwards, it's coincidence: this is the time of year when plenty of other respiratory viruses are circulating.

The only reason you can't have the vaccine is a previous serious allergic reaction to it or to one of its ingredients. Some flu vaccines contain a small amount of egg protein, so do tell us if you have an egg allergy — there are egg-free alternatives, and an egg allergy on its own is rarely a barrier.

What if I'm not eligible?

Plenty of people who don't qualify still want protection — parents of young children, people in customer-facing jobs, anyone who simply can't afford to lose a week to flu. Private flu vaccination is widely available through community pharmacies each autumn.

Have a word with us about what we're able to offer this season. Vaccine supply nationally has been tighter than usual for 2026/27, so it's worth asking early rather than assuming there'll be stock in December.

Booking with us

We're on Church Street, next to Alfreton Primary Care Centre, with step-free access and on-site parking.

You can book an appointment online or call us on 01773 836328. We'd recommend booking rather than walking in for vaccinations — it means we can set aside proper time with the pharmacist, and it guarantees there's a dose with your name on it.

If you're not sure whether you're eligible, just ring and ask. It takes two minutes and it's a lot quicker than waiting for a letter.

Written by Tarndeep Singh Vaid, Responsible Pharmacist and Independent Prescriber at Medicine Stop, Alfreton (GPhC 2202717).

This article is general information and isn't a substitute for individual clinical advice. Eligibility criteria and programme dates are set nationally and can change during the season — check nhs.uk or speak to us if you're unsure. Last updated September 2026.