Covid and Flu Specifications for 2026
NHS England has published a joint COVID and flu specification for 2026. This moves the COVID vaccination programme to a practice level, removing the need for COVID vaccinations to be delivered via a PCN. However, practices will still be able to deliver just the flu programme.
Seasonal Flu Programme
Enhanced Service specification – Seasonal Influenza. NHS England has published the specification for the annual flu programme. The specification and other related documents are available here. Practices will have until 21 August to sign up.
National flu immunisation programme 2025 to 2026 letter and update ( 28 July 2025)
Additional guidance on recording of influenza vaccination events, payments and collaboration
Season influenza collaboration agreement
From 1 September 2025:
- pregnant women
- all children aged 2 or 3 years on 31 August 2025
- primary school aged children (from Reception to Year 6)
- secondary school aged children (from Year 7 to Year 11)
- all children in clinical risk groups aged from 6 months to less than 18 years
From October 2025, exact start date to be confirmed by NHS England in due course:
- those aged 65 years and over
- those aged 18 years to under 65 years in clinical risk groups (as defined by the Green Book, Influenza chapter 19 )
- those in 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 immunocompromised individuals
- frontline workers in a social care setting without an employer led occupational health scheme including those working for a registered residential care or nursing home, registered domiciliary care providers, voluntary managed hospice providers and those that are employed by those who receive direct payments (personal budgets) or Personal Health budgets, such as Personal Assistants