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Autumn 2026 COVID-19 vaccination programme confirmed

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Published: 03 July 2026 Category: News | Policy Watch

The Government has accepted advice from the UK’s independent vaccination experts on the Autumn 2026 COVID-19 vaccination programme, confirming that the NHS will continue to offer COVID-19 vaccination to those at greatest risk of severe illness.

The decision follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and means eligibility for the Autumn 2026 programme remains unchanged from previous recent campaigns.

Who will be eligible?

In England, COVID-19 vaccination will be offered to:

adults aged 75 years and over
residents in care homes for older adults
individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed, as defined in the UK Health Security Agency’s Green Book.

What’s changed?

While the eligibility criteria remain the same, the announcement confirms the Government’s continued move towards a targeted vaccination programme, focusing on those most likely to experience serious illness from COVID-19.

This approach reflects the current advice from the JCVI, which continues to review evidence on vaccine effectiveness, population immunity and the balance of benefits for different groups.

What does this mean for providers?

Healthcare providers should begin preparing for the autumn campaign by:

identifying eligible patients
reviewing recall and invitation systems
planning staffing and clinic capacity
ensuring eligible care home residents are included in vaccination plans
preparing to co-administer flu and COVID-19 vaccines where appropriate.

NHS England has also confirmed that the timing of the adult flu and COVID-19 programmes is designed to support co-administration wherever possible, helping improve uptake and reduce the number of appointments patients need to attend.

Looking ahead

Although COVID-19 is now managed differently from the early years of the pandemic, vaccination remains an important part of protecting those at highest risk of hospitalisation and severe disease.

Healthcare organisations should continue to monitor updates from the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and the UK Health Security Agency as operational guidance for the autumn campaign is published.