The United Kingdom has confirmed that adults aged 75 and above, immunosuppressed people aged six months and older, and residents of care homes for older adults will be eligible for its spring 2027 COVID-19 vaccination programme.

The Department of Health and Social Care announced the decision on Friday, October 30, 2026, following the government’s acceptance of recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The JCVI is an independent expert body that advises the government on vaccination policy.

The department said the eligibility criteria would remain the same as those used in previous spring vaccination programmes, with priority given to people at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety, Dame Diana Johnson, said older adults and people with weakened immune systems remained particularly vulnerable to serious complications from the virus.

She urged everyone eligible to take up the offer, describing vaccination as the most effective way to protect against severe illness.

The government said the programme reflected its continued commitment to protecting people most vulnerable to COVID-19, in line with expert medical advice.