Key Takeaways
- All NHS childhood vaccinations are free and given on an age-based schedule, arranged by your GP surgery and health visitor — they are the cornerstone of protecting your child against serious diseases such as measles, whooping cough, and meningitis.
- Infant primary programme (current, 2025-2026): 8 weeks (6-in-1 first dose + rotavirus + MenB first dose); 12 weeks (6-in-1 second dose + rotavirus second dose + MenB second dose); 16 weeks (6-in-1 third dose + pneumococcal PCV).
- Around 12-13 months: Hib/MenC booster, pneumococcal booster, MenB booster, and MMR / new MMRV (measles, mumps and rubella + chickenpox).
- 2025-2026 key changes: MMRV (including chickenpox) introduced from January 2026; new 18-month visit added (fourth 6-in-1 dose, for children born on or after 1 July 2024); MenB second dose brought forward to 12 weeks and PCV moved to 16 weeks (July 2025). Your Red Book may not yet reflect these changes — check the latest schedule on nhs.uk.
- Pre-school (3 years 4 months): second dose of MMR / MMRV + 4-in-1 pre-school booster.
- Teenagers (around 12-13 years): HPV vaccine, 3-in-1 teenage booster (Td/IPV), MenACWY.
- Red Book (Personal Child Health Record, PCHR): the official booklet recording your child’s growth and vaccinations — bring it to every appointment.
- Missed doses can be caught up: contact your GP to arrange a catch-up at any age — it is never too late.
- New arrivals: if your child has been vaccinated abroad, give the records to your GP for assessment and integration into the UK schedule.
- Jurisdiction: the schedule is broadly consistent across all four nations of the UK; always check the latest version on nhs.uk / UKHSA.
One of the first questions Chinese parents new to the UK ask is: “Which vaccines does my child need in the UK? When are they given? Do vaccines from China count? And what is that little red booklet?”
Childhood vaccinations in the UK are free and given as a set at specific ages, arranged jointly by your GP surgery and health visitor. The schedule has recently seen several important updates (introduction of the MMRV vaccine including chickenpox, a new 18-month appointment, and more), so the printed table in your Red Book may already be out of date. This article sets out the current schedule, what each vaccine protects against, the Red Book and health visitors, the latest changes, catch-up vaccinations, and how overseas vaccination records fit in, with a reminder to verify against the latest version on nhs.uk.
Two reminders: (1) The vaccination schedule was updated in 2025-2026 — please check nhs.uk vaccinations schedule for the exact ages for your child. (2) Vaccines given abroad are not wasted — give the records to your GP so they can align them with the UK programme and avoid unnecessary repeats or gaps.
Key resources:
- NHS vaccination schedule (latest) — nhs.uk: NHS vaccinations and when to have them
- UKHSA childhood vaccination schedule — gov.uk: routine childhood immunisations
- Health visitor / Red Book — via your GP surgery or local health visiting team
- Related guides: GP registration, maternity services, free NHS interpreting
1. Current Childhood Vaccination Schedule (2025-2026)
Please confirm on nhs.uk: the schedule was recently updated — check nhs.uk for your child’s exact ages. The table below is an overview.
| Age | Vaccines |
| 8 weeks | 6-in-1 (first dose), rotavirus (oral), MenB (first dose) |
| 12 weeks | 6-in-1 (second dose), rotavirus (second dose), MenB (second dose) |
| 16 weeks | 6-in-1 (third dose), pneumococcal PCV (first dose) |
| Around 12-13 months | Hib/MenC, PCV booster, MenB booster, MMR / MMRV (measles, mumps and rubella [+ chickenpox]) |
| 18 months (new; for children born on or after 1 July 2024) | 6-in-1 (fourth dose) |
| 3 years 4 months (pre-school) | MMR / MMRV (second dose), 4-in-1 pre-school booster (dTaP/IPV) |
| Around 12-13 years | HPV vaccine, 3-in-1 teenage booster (Td/IPV), MenACWY |
| 2-3 years and school-age children | Annual **flu vaccine** (mainly nasal spray) |
The 6-in-1 protects against: diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), polio, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), and hepatitis B.
2. What Each Vaccine Protects Against
- 6-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB): diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis), polio, Hib, and hepatitis B;
- Rotavirus: severe diarrhoea and dehydration in infants and young children (given orally);
- MenB / MenACWY: meningococcal disease (meningitis and septicaemia);
- PCV (pneumococcal): pneumonia, meningitis, and septicaemia;
- MMR / MMRV: measles, mumps, and rubella (MMRV also includes chickenpox);
- HPV: prevention of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers (teenagers);
- Flu: seasonal influenza each year.
3. The Red Book and Health Visitor
- Red Book (Personal Child Health Record, PCHR): the official booklet recording your child’s growth, development, and vaccinations — bring it to every appointment and vaccination so staff can keep it up to date;
- Health visitor: a specialist nurse or team responsible for health checks, feeding and developmental advice, and vaccination coordination for children aged 0-5 — they will contact you after the birth;
- For maternity and newborn care, see NHS maternity services.
Because the schedule changed in 2025-2026, the printed table in your Red Book may not match the actual appointments your child is offered — follow your GP’s invitations and nhs.uk.
4. Key Changes in 2025-2026 (Why Things May Look Different)
- MMRV introduced from January 2026: chickenpox added to the routine schedule as a combined measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox vaccine — applies to children born on or after 1 September 2022;
- New 18-month appointment added: a fourth 6-in-1 dose introduced — applies to children born on or after 1 July 2024;
- From July 2025: the second MenB dose moved earlier to 12 weeks, and the first pneumococcal (PCV) dose moved to 16 weeks.
These updates were recommended by the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) to provide earlier and broader protection for children. For your child’s specific appointments, follow your GP’s invitations and nhs.uk.
5. What to Do If Doses Were Missed or Given Abroad (Catch-Up and Integration)
- Missed a dose: catch-up is possible at any age — contact your GP to arrange a catch-up appointment; it is never too late;
- Vaccinated in China or another country: give your child’s vaccination records (ideally with a translation) to your GP or health visitor so they can assess what has already been given and integrate them into the UK schedule, avoiding unnecessary repeats or gaps;
- Newborns and newly arrived children: once you register with a GP, your child is added to the recall system automatically.
6. Safety and Common Questions
- Vaccine safety: vaccines on the NHS schedule undergo rigorous approval and ongoing safety monitoring; common reactions include redness or swelling at the injection site and a mild fever, which are typically mild and short-lived;
- Allergies / special circumstances: if your child has a serious allergy or immune condition, tell staff before the appointment so they can assess and adjust accordingly;
- During illness: a mild illness usually does not prevent vaccination; a high fever or acute illness may mean it is deferred — follow your clinician’s advice;
- Difficulty understanding notices or communicating: you can request free interpreting.
7. School-Based Vaccinations
School-age vaccines — such as the children’s nasal flu vaccine, HPV, teenage booster, and MenACWY — are usually given at school by a vaccination team. Parents will receive a consent form — please sign and return it promptly, otherwise your child may miss the vaccination.
CVF Services
Circle Vision Foundation (CVF) provides assistance to Chinese families in the UK with childhood vaccinations:
- Schedule guidance — explaining which vaccines are due and when, based on your child’s age
- Overseas vaccination record integration — helping you present records from China to your GP for assessment, to avoid repeats or gaps
- Red Book / notice interpretation — bilingual explanation of health visiting appointments and vaccination notices
- Appointment and interpreting support — arranging vaccination appointments and requesting free interpreting at consultations
- School consent form assistance — helping you understand and return school vaccination consent forms
Contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Address: 5th Floor, 167-169 Great Portland Street, London, W1W 5PF
- Website: circle-vision.org/contact-us
Jurisdiction / Data Version Note
- Scope: the childhood vaccination schedule is broadly consistent across all four nations of the UK; always check the latest version on nhs.uk / UKHSA.
- Version: based on the NHS / UKHSA current routine childhood immunisation schedule (including the July 2025 and January 2026 changes: MMRV, 18-month appointment, MenB/PCV adjustments), as at June 2026; the schedule is subject to ongoing updates — please verify on nhs.uk and with your GP before appointments.
- This article is not medical advice — it is a guide to the schedule; for individual vaccinations, follow your clinician’s instructions.
Version & Responsibility:
- Jurisdiction: UK-wide; based on nhs.uk (England)
- Data sources: nhs.uk, UKHSA (routine childhood immunisations), JCVI
- Date last verified: 2026-06-06
- Published by: Circle Vision Foundation (England & Wales registered charity no. 1209727)
- Feedback and corrections: if you find outdated rules or factual errors, please email [email protected] and we will verify and update within 14 days.