Child Vaccinations

One of the most important things that a parent can do for their child is to make sure that they have all their routine childhood vaccinations. It's the most effective way of keeping them protected against infectious diseases.

Ideally, kids should have their jabs at the right age to protect them as early as possible and minimise the risk of infection.

 

Vaccination Checklist

Here's a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them.

child vaccinations

 

8 weeks:

  • DTap/IPV(polio)/Hib/HepB (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b and hepatitis B) - 6-in-one injection 
  • Rotavirus - oral route (drops).
  • Meningitis B
  • PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) - in a separate injection. Note - for children born from 1st January 2020, this vaccine is offered at 12 weeks and 1 year rather than at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year.
 

12 weeks:

  • DTaP/IPV(polio)/Hib/HepB - 6-in-one injection, 2nd dose 
  • PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) - in a separate injection for babies born after 1st January 2020. Note - for children born before 1st January 2020, this vaccine is offered at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year rather than at 12 weeks and 1 year.
  • Rotavirus - oral route (drops).
 

16 weeks:

  • DTaP/IPV(polio)/Hib/HepB - 6-in-one injection, 3rd dose 
  • Meningitis B - 2nd dose
  • PCV (pneumococcal conjugate vaccine) - in a separate injection. Note - for children born from 1st January 2020, this vaccine is offered at 12 weeks and 1 year rather than at 8 weeks, 16 weeks and 1 year.
 

Between 12 and 13 months:

  • Hib/MenC (combined as one injection) - 4th dose of Hib and 1st dose of MenC 
  • MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) - combined as one injection 
  • PCV - 2nd dose, in a separate injection.
  • Meningitis B - 3rd dose
 

2 years - end of primary school: 

  • Nasal flu Spray - annually for all children. For children aged 2, 3 and 4, this is usually given in the GP surgery. Children in primary school should have this at school
 

3 years and 4 months, or soon after:

 

12-13 years (boys and girls):

  • HPV (human papillomavirus types 16 and 18) - two injections, the second injection is given 6-24 months after the first one.
 

14 years:

 

Adult:                                                                                                                                                               

  • Influenza (annual) and PPV (pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine): for those aged over 65 years and also those in high-risk groups.
  • Td/IPV(polio): for those not fully immunised as a child or travelling to high-risk areas.
  • DTaP/IPV: for pregnant women from 20 weeks of gestation to protect the newborn baby against whooping cough or people travelling to high risk areas. 
  • Shingles vaccine: for adults aged 70 or 78 years. (Plus catch-up for adults born after 2nd September 1942 who have not previously been immunised if they are under 80 years).
  • RSV vaccine: for adults turning 75 on or after 1st September 2024 (born on or after 1/9/1949) and pregnant women  from week 28 or their pregnancy.   
 

Vaccines For Risk Groups

People who fall into certain risk groups may be offered extra vaccines. These include vaccinations against diseases such as hepatitis B, tuberculosis (TB), seasonal flu and chickenpox. See the NHS Choices pages to find out whether you should have one.

NHS Choices 

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