Brady Collins
In the UK, the NHS offers routine immunisations that protect against a number of diseases. The NHS will never ask patients for money for the coronavirus vaccine. However, not all travel vaccinations are available for free on the NHS, and some may need to be administered by a private travel clinic.
Do you have to pay for vaccinations in the UK?
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| COVID-19 vaccination | Free |
| Travel vaccinations | Some vaccines are free, others need to be paid for |
| NHS routine immunisation | Free |
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What You'll Learn
COVID-19 vaccinations are free
The COVID-19 vaccine is provided free of charge in the UK. The NHS will never ask patients for money for the coronavirus vaccine. This means that when you are offered a COVID-19 jab, you will not have to pay for it. The vaccine is offered to people in order of clinical priority, as stipulated by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
The vaccine rollout began in December 2020 when the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was approved by the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This was followed by the Oxford University/Astra Zeneca vaccine at the end of the month, and the Moderna vaccine was approved in January 2021.
Since the rollout began, millions of people in the UK have received doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, there have been scam emails and text messages offering people the chance to get jabbed at a price. These messages are fake and are sent by fraudsters seeking to defraud vulnerable people. The police have issued warnings about these messages.
It is important to remember that the COVID-19 vaccine is free of charge, and you should not have to pay for it. If you are offered the vaccine, you can get it without having to worry about any financial cost.
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NHS never asks for money for vaccines
The NHS will never ask patients for money for the coronavirus vaccine. The vaccine will be offered to people in order of clinical priority. The NHS is on track to meet its ambitious target of offering a vaccine to the four top priority groups by the middle of February. More than nine in 10 people over the age of 80 have now had their first dose of the vaccine, as have nine in 10 over-75s and over half of all over-70s.
In the UK, the NHS routine immunisation (vaccination) schedule protects you against a number of diseases, but does not cover all the infectious diseases found overseas. Some travel vaccines are available free on the NHS if your GP practice is signed up to provide vaccination services. These include polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab). These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.
You'll have to pay for travel vaccinations against yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A, for example. If the GP practice can give you the travel vaccines you need but they are not available on the NHS, you may be charged for them by the GP.
It is important to be aware of scams. There have been some convincing scam emails and text messages offering people the chance to get jabbed at a price. They are fake and run by fraudsters seeking to defraud vulnerable people.
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Travel vaccinations may not be free
The NHS routine immunisation schedule in the UK protects you against a variety of diseases, but it does not cover all the infectious diseases found overseas. Therefore, when travelling outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some serious diseases, such as yellow fever, typhoid and hepatitis A.
If you are planning to travel, it is recommended that you see a GP or a private travel clinic at least eight weeks before your trip to ensure you have the necessary vaccinations. Some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity. It is also a good opportunity to ensure your other UK vaccinations are up to date and to receive any necessary booster vaccines.
Not all travel vaccinations are available free on the NHS, even if they are recommended for travel to a certain area. If your GP practice is signed up to provide NHS travel vaccines, these can be provided free of charge. However, other non-NHS travel vaccines may incur a charge from the GP.
The following travel vaccines are typically available free on the NHS if your GP practice provides vaccination services:
Polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab)
These vaccines are generally provided free of charge because they protect against diseases that pose the greatest risk to public health if introduced into the country. However, you may have to pay for travel vaccinations against other diseases. Therefore, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional to understand the specific requirements and costs for your travel destination.
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NHS routine immunisation schedule
Vaccinations are free on the NHS for all UK residents and some visitors. The NHS offers a range of vaccinations as part of its routine immunisation schedule. This schedule is designed to provide protection against serious diseases and infections and is typically followed from infancy through to adulthood.
The specific vaccines included in the NHS routine immunisation schedule can vary over time as new vaccines are introduced and changes are made to existing programmes. For example, the schedule has been updated in recent years to include new vaccines such as MenB, MenACWY, and HPV. The timing of certain routine immunisations may also change; updates to the schedule in 2025 included changes to the selective hepatitis B programme and the introduction of maternal and older adult RSV programmes.
Some of the vaccines routinely offered by the NHS include:
- The MenACWY vaccine, which protects against serious infections like meningitis. This vaccine is routinely offered to adolescents and young adults up to their 25th birthday.
- The MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) vaccine, which is typically given in two doses during childhood.
- The HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine, which helps protect against genital warts and cancers caused by HPV, such as cervical cancer.
- The shingles vaccine, with changes to its administration reflected in the 2025 schedule update.
It is recommended that individuals stay up to date with the NHS routine immunisation schedule to ensure they receive the recommended vaccinations at the appropriate times.
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Vaccine scams and fraud
Vaccines are free of charge in the UK, and the NHS will never ask patients for money for them. However, this has not stopped criminals from using the COVID-19 vaccine as a way to target the public and trick them into handing over cash or financial details.
Common COVID-19 Vaccine Scams
Emails and Texts
One common scam involves sending convincing-looking emails and text messages informing people that they are eligible for the vaccine or that they are on the COVID vaccination list and need to select whether they want the injection. These messages often include a link that, when clicked, takes the victim to a site where they are asked to enter personal and financial information, such as bank account details, card numbers, and driving license IDs. This information is then used for identity theft and financial fraud. To avoid falling victim to this type of scam, it is important to be cautious of any unexpected or suspicious emails or texts and to never click on links or attachments within them. Instead, you should forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM on your keypad) and suspicious emails to [email protected].
Phone Calls
Criminals may also call people directly, pretending to be from the NHS or a local pharmacy, and ask for financial details or personal information. The NHS will never ask for these details over the phone, and if you receive such a call, you should hang up immediately and report it to Action Fraud.
Door-to-Door
Another scam involves people pretending to be from the NHS and arriving unannounced at people's homes to administer the vaccine. The NHS will never do this, and you should not let them into your home.
If you think you have been a victim of a scam, you should contact your bank immediately and report it to the police.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the NHS will never ask patients for money for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Some travel vaccines are available free on the NHS, such as polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab). However, not all travel vaccines are covered by the NHS and you may have to pay for them at a private clinic.
No, the NHS routine immunisation schedule protects you against a number of diseases and is provided free of charge.
These messages are scams run by fraudsters. The police have issued warnings about these scam messages.
The NHS will never ask patients for money for any vaccines.
