When autumn comes, protection from any earlier COVID-19 vaccination you may have had will be starting to wane. For those who are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19, the NHS offers a free vaccine in the autumn, previously known as the 'Autumn Booster'.
Current vaccines provide good protection against severe disease and hospitalisation. UKHSA surveillance data relating to last autumn's programme shows that vaccine effectiveness was 47% for the 3 months following vaccination.
Vaccination continues to help protect against severe illness, hospitalisations and deaths arising from COVID-19. NHS England data suggests that between October 2025 and January 2026 around 16,000 people were admitted to hospital with the virus.
Eligible groups for autumn 2026
Ministers have accepted the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for the autumn 2026 COVID-19 vaccination programme, which focuses on vaccinating those at highest risk of serious disease.
For autumn 2026, COVID-19 vaccination is offered to:
- adults aged 75 years and over
- residents in care homes for older adults
- individuals who are immunosuppressed aged 6 months and over
The eligibility is the same across the 4 nations of the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).
The vaccine should usually be offered no earlier than around 6 months after the last vaccine dose. If you are eligible, you can get protection from an autumn COVID-19 vaccination even if you have not taken up a COVID-19 vaccine offer in the past.
Eligibility for the immunosuppressed
We understand that having a weakened immune system (immunosuppression) is a lot less straightforward than the other criteria. Looking online can cause even more confusion, as people might see themselves (and be considered by others) as immunosuppressed but might not fit the immunosuppression criteria for vaccination.
So, what are the immunosuppression criteria? Eligibility is outlined in the COVID-19 Green Book chapter, a document published by UKHSA specifically for public health professionals. It can be a complicated document for non-experts, so we've listed some of the groups here:
- organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplant patients
- those being treated with systemic steroids for more than a month
- those living with HIV
- those receiving immunosuppressive or immunomodulating biological therapy, including children who are about to receive therapy
- those undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- those requiring long-term treatment for immunosuppression
- those with a history of haematological malignancy including chronic leukaemia, lymphomas, and leukaemia
- those with genetic disorders affecting the immune system
While this list summarises some major groups, it does not cover everything. Please talk to your healthcare professional if you are unsure.
How to access the COVID-19 autumn vaccination
COVID-19 spreads more easily in winter because we spend more time indoors with others.
Booking for the COVID-19 vaccination is now open. Visit the NHS website and choose a date and time from 1 October. If you are eligible, having your COVID-19 vaccination this autumn will give you protection from serious COVID illness over winter.