The UK Health Security Agency reported on 7 September 2026 that 55.5% of primary school children — around 2.5 million of about 4.5 million eligible — received a flu vaccine in winter 2025-26. That was slightly above the 54.5% recorded for 2024-25 but well below the over 60% seen before the COVID-19 pandemic, in winter 2019-20. Uptake has been lower than the 62.5% peak of 2020-21 in the years since.

UKHSA estimated the vaccine prevented 52% of children aged 2 to 17 from visiting a GP and 68% from being hospitalised last season. It urged parents to return consent forms promptly, saying school sessions were due to start in some schools that week and all schools were expected to have been offered sessions by late November.

Dr Suzanna McDonald, UKHSA's flu programme lead, was quoted as saying uptake in primary schools was too low and that thousands of children were unprotected. Dr Amanda Doyle, NHS national director for primary care and community services, also called on parents to take up the offer. Eligible groups include children aged 2 to 3 on 31 August 2026 and all primary and secondary school-aged children.