The NHS winter jabs programme is already under way across England, and this season the rules are not the same for everyone. The autumn and winter vaccination offer opened on 1 October and runs until 31 January 2027, but the list of people invited for a COVID-19 vaccine is noticeably shorter than in previous years. If you were called forward last winter, that does not automatically mean you will be called again.
Here is what the NHS is offering this winter, who qualifies, and what to do if your invitation has not arrived.
Who can get a COVID-19 vaccine this winter
For the autumn and winter 2026 campaign, the COVID-19 vaccine is being offered to three groups:
- adults aged 75 and over;
- residents of care homes for older adults;
- anyone aged six months and over who is immunosuppressed.
That is a clear narrowing. Earlier autumn campaigns reached everyone aged 65 and over, people living with a range of long-term health conditions, and frontline health and social care staff. Those wider groups are not part of this season's COVID-19 offer, which is why so many people who were vaccinated last year have heard nothing this time. The change reflects advice to concentrate the programme on those at highest risk of serious illness, not a judgement that the vaccine has stopped working.
The flu offer is wider than the COVID-19 one
Flu eligibility covers more people. From 1 October, the free NHS flu vaccine has been available to:
- people aged 65 and over;
- adults aged 18 to under 65 in an eligible clinical risk group;
- people living in long-stay residential care homes;
- eligible carers.
In practice that means a large number of adults qualify for a flu jab but not for a COVID-19 booster, and the two should not be confused. Where both are due, the NHS offers co-administration wherever possible — the two vaccines in a single appointment, one in each arm. Other cohorts, including school-age children offered the nasal spray vaccine, are handled through separate routes; the current list is published on nhs.uk.
RSV: a third vaccine that is easy to miss
The respiratory syncytial virus vaccine sits outside the flu and COVID-19 rush, and it is the one people most often overlook. From 1 September, eligibility was extended to include adults aged 65 to 74 in certain clinical risk groups, on top of the groups already covered. RSV is a single dose rather than an annual jab, so it is worth asking about it at the same appointment as your flu vaccine — particularly for anyone in that 65 to 74 bracket who assumes they are too young to be offered anything.
What to do if you think you qualify
The NHS asked eligible patients back in August to book early rather than wait for winter. Appointments are offered through GP practices, community pharmacies and the National Booking Service, and pharmacies are often the quickest route for a straightforward flu jab.
- Do not wait for a letter. Invitations are not always sent, and carers in particular are frequently missed because the practice does not know about the caring role.
- Tell your surgery you are a carer. It is the single most common reason an eligible adult goes unvaccinated.
- Check the clinical risk list. Asthma treated with steroid inhalers, diabetes, heart and kidney conditions and a weakened immune system all commonly qualify for flu.
- Book before the deadline. The campaign closes on 31 January 2027; leaving it to the last fortnight risks losing the protection over the worst weeks of winter.
One practical note for older households: much of the booking and reminder system now assumes a phone line and an internet connection that work. That matters more than it used to, as homes still on the old copper network face the landline switch-off and the move to digital voice services. If you help an older relative, it is worth checking they can actually reach the surgery before winter sets in — the same generation that is, in other respects, reshaping what an active retirement looks like.
If you are not eligible this year and want to pay privately, flu vaccines are widely sold by high street and online pharmacies, which can also help stretch a health budget. Prices vary, so compare before you book, and remember that a private flu jab does not give you access to the NHS COVID-19 programme.
Frequently asked questions
I had a COVID-19 vaccine last winter. Why have I not been invited this year?
Because the eligible groups have changed. This season's offer is limited to adults aged 75 and over, residents of older adult care homes and people aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed. People aged 65 to 74 without immunosuppression are not included, even if they were vaccinated last year.
Can I have the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time?
Yes, if you are eligible for both. The NHS runs the two programmes alongside each other and offers co-administration where possible, so both can usually be given in one appointment.
When is the last date to get vaccinated?
The autumn and winter campaign runs until 31 January 2027. Booking earlier is better, as protection takes a couple of weeks to build and flu activity typically peaks between December and February.
Sources
- NHS England — Flu Vaccination Programme 2026/27
- NHS Networks — COVID-19 vaccination programme for autumn/winter 2026
- NHS England — NHS urges those eligible to book a flu jab ahead of this winter season
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