How many people have had the flu vaccine in the UK in 2026? By October 25, 2026, 53.6% of people aged 65 and over in England had received this season’s flu jab, 24.8% of under-65s in clinical risk groups and 29.1% of pregnant women, with older-adult uptake below the 56.9% recorded at the same point last season. Last winter 74.5% of over-65s were vaccinated against a 75% WHO target, and an average of 2,660 flu patients a day filled English hospital beds in early December 2025, the highest ever recorded for that time of year.
Flu Vaccine in UK 2026 – Introduction
Flu vaccine in the UK are the best early warning of how hard winter will hit the NHS. Every autumn the UK Health Security Agency counts how many older adults, pregnant women, children and people with long-term conditions have been vaccinated, and it publishes the numbers week by week. This year the early readings look slightly weaker than last year’s, even though last winter’s flu season was one of the heaviest on record.
The picture is mixed. Pregnant women are vaccinating faster than a year ago, but older adults and young children are slightly behind. Flu is circulating at low levels in England for now, and the hospital rate is rising slowly. This report covers eligibility, weekly uptake, last season’s final figures, Wales, current flu activity and winter pressure on the NHS, one data table at a time.
Interesting Facts About Flu Vaccination in the UK 2026
FLU VACCINE UPTAKE IN ENGLAND AT WEEK 43: 2026-27 VS 2025-26 (each █ = 2 points)
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Aged 65 and over 2026 ██████████████████████████▌ 53.6%
2025 ████████████████████████████▍ 56.9%
Clinical risk groups 2026 ████████████▎ 24.8%
2025 █████████████ 26.2%
Pregnant women 2026 ██████████████▌ 29.1%
2025 █████████████▉ 27.8%
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| Interesting Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Uptake, aged 65 and over (to October 25) | 53.6%, against 56.9% a year ago |
| Uptake, under-65s in clinical risk groups | 24.8%, against 26.2% |
| Uptake, pregnant women | 29.1%, against 27.8% |
| Uptake, 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds | 29.7% and 29.5% |
| Final 2025-26 uptake, aged 65 and over | 74.5% |
| WHO and NHS target for older adults | 75% |
| Flu hospital admission rate, week 43 | 2.47 per 100,000 |
| Flu patients in beds, early December 2025 | 2,660 a day, a record for the time of year |
Source: UKHSA National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, October 29, 2026; UKHSA annual epidemiological report 2025 to 2026, May 28, 2026; NHS England, December 11, 2025.
The first four rows come from the latest weekly report for England. By the end of week 43, 53.6% of over-65s had been vaccinated, below the 56.9% of last year. Clinical risk groups stood at 24.8% against 26.2%, while pregnant women were ahead at 29.1% against 27.8%. Two-year-olds were at 29.7% and three-year-olds at 29.5%, compared with 30.8% and 30.7% last season.
The last four rows give context. Final uptake among over-65s reached 74.5% last season, just under the 75% target. Flu is circulating at low levels, with a hospital admission rate of 2.47 per 100,000, but winter pressure peaked early last year. An average of 2,660 patients a day were in a hospital bed with flu in the week before December 11, 2025, which NHS England called the highest ever for that point in the year.
NHS Flu Vaccine Eligibility 2026-27 | Who Can Get a Free Jab and When
FLU PROGRAMME START DATES IN ENGLAND, 2026-27
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Sept 1 ●── Pregnant women and children aged 2 or 3 on August 31
Oct 1 ●── Adults aged 65 and over
Oct 1 ●── Adults aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups
Oct 1 ●── Frontline health and social care workers
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| Eligibility Item | 2026-27 Detail |
|---|---|
| Pregnant women | From September 1 |
| Children aged 2 or 3 on August 31, 2026 | From September 1 |
| Adults aged 65 and over | From October 1 |
| Adults aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups | From October 1 |
| Frontline healthcare workers | Offered the vaccine from October 1 |
| Changes to eligible cohorts | None compared with 2025-26 |
| Vaccines preferred for ages 65 and over | Cell-cultured, adjuvanted, high-dose or recombinant |
| Egg-cultured vaccine | Only for ages 18 to 65 when preferred vaccines are unavailable |
Source: National flu immunisation programme plan 2026 to 2027, UKHSA and NHS England; Practice Nurse, updated guidance for 2026-27, August 2026.
Eligibility is unchanged from last year. Pregnant women and children aged 2 or 3 on August 31, 2026 can get a free jab from September 1, and adults aged 65 and over and those aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups follow from October 1. The adult start has been October 1 for three seasons running, a month later than before. Frontline healthcare workers and directly employed social care workers are offered the vaccine through their employers from October 1.
The vaccine type depends on age. For people 65 and over, the preferred vaccines are the cell-cultured (IIVc), adjuvanted (aIIV), high-dose (IIV-HD) and recombinant (IIVr) options. The egg-cultured vaccine is allowed only for ages 18 to 65 if preferred vaccines are unavailable, and it is not recommended for over-65s. The NHS wants providers to meet or beat the WHO target of 75% among over-65s and keep improving among healthcare workers.
Flu Vaccine Uptake 2025-26 | Final Figures by Group in England
FINAL FLU VACCINE UPTAKE IN ENGLAND, 2025-26 (each █ = 3 points)
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Aged 65 and over ████████████████████████▊ 74.5%
Primary school-aged (4-11) ██████████████████▌ 55.5%
Secondary school-aged (11-16) ████████████████ 48.0%
Frontline healthcare workers ███████████████ 45.2%
Under-65s, clinical risk groups █████████████▌ 40.6%
Pregnant women (GP-registered) ████████████▊ 38.4%
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| Group, 2025-26 | Uptake | Previous Season |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 and over | 74.5% | 74.9% |
| Pregnant women (GP-registered) | 38.4% | 35.0% |
| Pregnant women (January survey) | 61.3% | 62.1% |
| Under-65s in clinical risk groups | 40.6% | Not stated |
| Frontline healthcare workers | 45.2% | 37.8% |
| Primary school-aged children (4-11) | 55.5% | 54.5% |
| Secondary school-aged children (11-16) | 48.0% | 44.6% |
| Unvaccinated aged 6 months to under 65 in risk groups | About 5.7 million | Not stated |
Source: UKHSA, Influenza in the UK annual epidemiological report 2025 to 2026, May 28, 2026; UKHSA seasonal influenza vaccine uptake annual reports; Practice Nurse, August 2026.
Last season’s final numbers set the benchmark. Uptake among over-65s was 74.5%, a hair below the 74.9% the year before and just short of the 75% target. Pregnant women recorded 38.4% in GP data against 35.0%, and a January survey of women giving birth put the true rate higher at 61.3% against 62.1%. Frontline healthcare workers jumped from 37.8% to 45.2%, with 534,701 vaccinated of 1,183,244.
Children and risk groups show the gaps. Primary school-aged children reached 55.5% and secondary school-aged children 48.0%, both up on the previous year. Under-65s in clinical risk groups reached only 40.6%, leaving about 5.7 million people aged six months to under 65 with underlying conditions unvaccinated. By condition, uptake was highest in people with severe learning disability (55.9%), diabetes (49.4%) and chronic kidney disease (48.1%), and lowest in chronic liver disease (33.4%).
Weekly Flu Vaccine Uptake 2026-27 | UKHSA Tracker October 2026
UPTAKE IN ENGLAND, OVER-65S, BY UKHSA REPORT DATE (each █ = 2 points)
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Report of October 8 █████ 9.9%
Report of October 22 ██████████████████████ 44.1%
Report of October 29 ██████████████████████████▊ 53.6%
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| Group | Oct 8 Report | Oct 22 Report | Oct 29 Report | Last Year, Same Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 and over | 9.9% | 44.1% | 53.6% | 56.9% |
| Clinical risk groups under 65 | 4.9% | 19.9% | 24.8% | 26.2% |
| Pregnant women | 16.4% | 26.0% | 29.1% | 27.8% |
| Children aged 2 | 16.5% | 26.0% | 29.7% | 30.8% |
| Children aged 3 | 16.4% | 25.8% | 29.5% | 30.7% |
Source: UKHSA National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports of October 8, October 22 and October 29, 2026. Provisional data; 98.6% of GP practices reporting.
Uptake climbs quickly in October, since adult vaccination only started on October 1. Over-65s went from 9.9% in the October 8 report to 44.1% in the October 22 report and 53.6% in the October 29 report. Clinical risk groups rose from 4.9% to 24.8%. Two- and three-year-olds moved from about 16.5% to 29.7% and 29.5%.
The year-on-year comparison is the one to watch. At the same point last season, over-65s were at 56.9%, risk groups at 26.2% and two- and three-year-olds at 30.8% and 30.7%. Only pregnant women are ahead, at 29.1% against 27.8%. UKHSA notes a data problem in weeks 41 and 42 that left some groups unpublished and suppressed some uptake figures, and that pharmacy jabs are being misclassified as GP jabs. Overall uptake is expected to be accurate. Monthly data for GP patients, school-aged children and healthcare workers will be published on November 26.
Flu Vaccine Uptake in Wales 2026 | Public Health Wales Annual Figures
FLU VACCINE UPTAKE IN WALES, 2025-26 (each █ = 3 points)
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Aged 65 and over ███████████████████████▉ 71.7%
Pregnant women (January survey) ████████████████████▍ 61.3%
Children aged 4 to 10 ███████████████████▏ 57.6%
Children aged 2 and 3 ███████████████▍ 46.1%
Children aged 11 to 15 ███████████████▍ 46.1%
16 to 64 in clinical risk groups ██████████████▍ 43.2%
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| Group, Wales 2025-26 | Uptake | Previous Season |
|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 and over | 71.7% | 70.4% |
| Aged 16 to 64 in clinical risk groups | 43.2% | 36.9% |
| Pregnant women (January survey) | 61.3% | Not stated |
| Children aged 2 and 3 | 46.1% | Not stated |
| Children aged 4 to 10 (school) | 57.6% | Not stated |
| Children aged 11 to 15 (school) | 46.1% | Not stated |
| Dominant virus | Influenza A(H3N2), subclade K | Not applicable |
Source: Public Health Wales, Annual influenza surveillance and vaccination uptake report 2025/26.
Wales improved on last year. Uptake among adults 65 and over rose from 70.4% to 71.7%, still below England’s 74.5%. Among adults aged 16 to 64 in clinical risk groups, uptake rose to 43.2% from 36.9%, though the previous season used a different age definition. A survey of women giving birth found 61.3% of pregnant women were vaccinated, the same figure as the January survey in England.
Children’s uptake varies by age. Public Health Wales reports 46.1% of two- and three-year-olds, who are mostly immunised at GP practices, 57.6% of children aged 4 to 10 and 46.1% of those aged 11 to 15, who are mostly vaccinated in schools. Influenza A(H3N2) subclade K was the most frequently sequenced virus in Wales last winter. Comparable figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland were not available in the sources used for this report, so UK-wide totals are not given.
Flu Activity in England Now 2026 | Positivity, Admissions and Strains
INFLUENZA INDICATORS IN ENGLAND, WEEK 43 2026 (each █ = 1 point)
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Influenza A positivity, ages 5 to 11 ████████████████▌ 16.6%
GP swab positivity ███████████ 11.0%
Laboratory positivity ██████▌ 6.6%
DataMart positivity ██████▎ 6.3%
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| Flu Indicator, Week 43 | Data |
|---|---|
| Laboratory positivity | 6.6%, against 6.4% the week before |
| GP swab positivity | 11.0%, up from 7.8% |
| Hospital admission rate | 2.47 per 100,000, stable (2.38 before) |
| ICU or HDU admission rate | 0.12 per 100,000, up from 0.08 |
| New hospital admissions | 588 |
| New ICU or HDU admissions | 49 |
| Highest hospital admission rate | Ages 85 and over, 12.78 per 100,000 |
| Influenza viruses characterised since week 35 | 297: 184 H1N1, 86 H3N2, 27 B |
Source: UKHSA National flu and COVID-19 surveillance report, October 29, 2026 (data to October 25, 2026).
Flu is circulating at low levels. Laboratory positivity was 6.6% and the hospital admission rate 2.47 per 100,000, which sits in the low impact range, with 588 new hospital admissions in a week. GP swab positivity jumped to 11.0% from 7.8%, and the ICU or HDU admission rate rose to 0.12 per 100,000. Children aged 5 to 11 had the highest positivity at 16.6% for influenza A, and adults aged 85 and over had the highest hospital admission rate at 12.78 per 100,000.
The strains match the vaccine reasonably well. Of 297 viruses characterised, 184 were H1N1pdm09, all clade D.3.1.1, 86 were H3N2, all subclade K, and 27 were influenza B. Three of 5 H1N1 viruses and all 6 H3N2 viruses tested were similar to vaccine strains. A WHO meeting noted low reactivity for some D.3.1.1 viruses, and it is not yet clear how that affects effectiveness. Care homes reported 101 of 112 new respiratory outbreaks in week 43.
NHS Winter Pressure From Flu 2026 | Hospital Beds and Last Winter’s Peak
FLU PATIENTS IN ENGLISH HOSPITAL BEDS PER DAY (each █ = 150)
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Early December 2023 ██▋ 402
Early December 2024 ████████████▍ 1,861
Early December 2025 █████████████████▊ 2,660
First week of Jan 2026 ██████████████████▏ 2,725
First week of Jan 2025 ████████████████████████████████▉ 4,929
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| Winter Pressure Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Flu patients per day, early December 2025 | 2,660, up 55% on the week before |
| Flu patients per day, same point 2024 | 1,861 |
| Flu patients per day, same point 2023 | 402 |
| Norovirus patients per day, early December 2025 | 354, up 35% |
| Flu beds per day, first week of January 2026 | 2,725 |
| Flu beds per day, first week of January 2025 | 4,929 |
| Sentinel flu hospital admissions reported, 2025-26 | 13,048 |
| Share that were influenza A | 98.9% |
Source: NHS England, December 11, 2025; NHS Providers; NHS Activity Tracker January 2026; UKHSA annual epidemiological report 2025 to 2026.
Last winter’s flu arrived early and hit hard. An average of 2,660 patients a day were in hospital with flu in the week before December 11, 2025, up 55% in a week and far above 1,861 a year earlier and 402 in 2023. NHS national medical director Professor Meghana Pandit called it an unprecedented wave and said staff were being pushed to the limit. A drifted H3N2 virus known as subclade K drove the early surge.
The peak faded sooner than the previous winter. By the first week of January 2026, 2,725 beds a day were occupied by flu patients, against 4,929 a year earlier, as the NHS Activity Tracker reported. UKHSA counted 13,048 flu hospital admissions across its sentinel reporting, with 98.9% caused by influenza A. Vaccine effectiveness against hospital admission in an England study during the subclade K wave was estimated at 72% to 75% in children and 32% to 39% in adults.
Flu Vaccine Effectiveness UK 2026 | Strains, Protection and Antiviral Resistance
ESTIMATED VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS AGAINST ED VISITS AND ADMISSIONS (England, 2025-26)
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Children and teens (under 18), upper ██████████████████████████████ 75%
Children and teens (under 18), lower ████████████████████████████ 72%
Adults, upper ███████████████ 39%
Adults, lower ████████████▊ 32%
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| Vaccine and Strain Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Effectiveness, under 18s | 72% to 75% against ED visits and hospitalisation |
| Effectiveness, adults | 32% to 39% |
| H1N1 component, 2026-27 Northern Hemisphere | A/Missouri/11/2025-like |
| H3N2 components | A/Darwin/1454/2025-like and A/Darwin/1415/2025-like |
| Vaccines marketed in the UK for 2026-27 | All trivalent |
| H1N1 viruses antigenically similar to vaccine | 3 of 5 tested |
| H3N2 viruses antigenically similar to vaccine | 6 of 6 tested |
| Viruses with reduced antiviral susceptibility | 5 detections |
Source: CDC season outlook citing an England study, December 2025; UKHSA surveillance report, October 29, 2026; UKHSA marketed vaccine list for 2026 to 2027.
Protection depends on age and match. An England study during the subclade K wave estimated that the 2025-26 vaccine was 72% to 75% effective against emergency visits and admissions in people under 18 and 32% to 39% in adults. This year’s vaccine includes new H1N1 and H3N2 components, and every UK vaccine is trivalent. Of the viruses tested so far, 3 of 5 H1N1 and 6 of 6 H3N2 were similar to the vaccine strains.
The antiviral picture is reassuring. UKHSA found only 5 detections with mutations linked to reduced susceptibility to oseltamivir or baloxavir across hundreds of samples, and normal susceptibility in 179 H1N1 and 86 H3N2 viruses for oseltamivir and zanamivir. UKHSA stresses that vaccines usually still protect against severe disease even when viruses drift. The best defence this winter is for the 5.7 million people at risk who remain unvaccinated to take up the offer.
Flu Vaccine in the UK FAQs 2026
Who can get a free flu vaccine on the NHS in 2026?
Pregnant women, children aged 2 or 3 on August 31, 2026, adults aged 65 and over, adults aged 18 to under 65 in clinical risk groups, and frontline healthcare workers.
When can I get the flu vaccine in 2026?
Pregnant women and young children from September 1, and adults aged 65 and over and clinical risk groups from October 1.
What is the flu vaccine uptake in England in 2026?
By October 25, 53.6% of over-65s, 24.8% of under-65s in clinical risk groups and 29.1% of pregnant women had been vaccinated.
Is flu vaccine uptake lower than last year?
Yes for older adults (53.6% against 56.9%) and risk groups (24.8% against 26.2%), but higher for pregnant women (29.1% against 27.8%).
What was flu vaccine uptake last year?
74.5% of over-65s, 45.2% of frontline healthcare workers and 55.5% of primary school-aged children in England in 2025-26.
What is the WHO flu vaccine target for older adults?
75% of adults aged 65 and over. England reached 74.5% last season.
How many people in clinical risk groups are unvaccinated?
About 5.7 million people aged six months to under 65 in risk groups were unvaccinated last season. Uptake in that group was 40.6%.
Is flu circulating in the UK now?
Yes at low levels. England’s laboratory positivity was 6.6% in week 43, with 588 new hospital admissions.
How bad was flu last winter in the NHS?
An average of 2,660 flu patients a day were in hospital in early December 2025, the highest ever for that time of year.
What flu strain caused the early surge last winter?
A drifted influenza A(H3N2) virus known as subclade K, according to NHS England.
How effective is the flu vaccine?
An England study found 72% to 75% effectiveness against emergency visits and admissions in under-18s and 32% to 39% in adults.
What is flu vaccine uptake in Wales?
71.7% of over-65s in 2025-26, up from 70.4%, according to Public Health Wales.
Which flu vaccine do over-65s get?
A cell-cultured, adjuvanted, high-dose or recombinant vaccine. The egg-cultured vaccine is not recommended for over-65s.
Can pregnant women get the flu vaccine?
Yes, free on the NHS from September 1. Uptake was 38.4% in GP data and 61.3% in a January survey last season.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.