Annual flu letter for 2026/27

Written by AlisonFreemantle on Thursday 26th February 2026

Including which vaccines will be reimbursed

The Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England have jointly published the national flu vaccination programme letter for the 2026/27 season.

To note:

  • There are no changes to eligible groups
  • Pregnant women from 1st September 2026
  • All other adult cohorts from 1st October 2026
  • There are two changes to the recommended vaccines that pharmacies will need to consider when finalising orders
  • There is a reinforcement of the circumstances when the egg-based vaccine, IIVe, can be used

A decision on whether pharmacies will be re-commissioned to vaccinate 2- to 3-year-olds will be made in due course following the evaluation of the 2025/2026 service.

Reimbursed vaccines

Every year, JCVI reviews the latest evidence on flu vaccines.  For the 2026 to 2027 season, all preferred vaccines available are trivalent.

There have been two changes to the JCVI advice for adult flu vaccines for 2026 to 2027.

  • In those aged 65 years and older, IIVc (cell-cultured) should be considered equivalent to allV (adjuvanted), llV-HD (high-dose) and IIVr (recombinant)
  • In those aged 50 years to 59 years in clinical risk groups, IIV-HD can be used off-label.

The preferred adult flu vaccines that will be reimbursed are listed below:

Aged 18 to 49 years in clinical risk group (including pregnant women)

Aged 50 to 64 years (in a clinical risk group)

Aged 65 years and over

All vaccines are listed alphabetically.

Order any of these vaccines:

  • Cell-cultured (IIVc); or
  • Recombinant (IIVr).

All vaccines are listed alphabetically.

Order any of these vaccines:

  • Adjuvanted (aIIV); or
  • Cell-cultured (IIVc); or
  • High dose (IIV-HD) (licensed from 60 years of age but can be given off label to those aged 50 to 59 years.): or
  • Recombinant (IIVr).

All vaccines are listed alphabetically.

Order any of these vaccines:

  • Adjuvanted (aIIV); or
  • Cell-cultured (IIVc); or
  • High dose (IIV-HD); or
  • Recombinant (IIVr).

 

The egg-cultured influenza vaccine (IIVe) should only be offered to those aged 18 years to less than 65 years as part of the national programme in circumstances where the preferred flu vaccines listed above are not available to order.

Once the vaccination campaign has started, if additional stock for those aged under 65 years of age is needed, IIVe should only be ordered if the above JCVI preferred vaccines are not available.

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