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Millions of Children to be Offered the Chickenpox Vaccine on the NHS in 2026 – What Parents Need to Know
- Dr Ravi Gowda
- 23 hours ago
- 7 min read
Updated: 36 minutes ago
Introduction
It’s finally happened. We’ve been advocating this for years…
England’s NHS is set offer free a chickenpox vaccine as part of the national immunisation schedule to all young children from January 2026. Children will be offered the vaccine along with the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine as a new MMRV combination at 12 and 18 months of age. Older children up to 11 years will receive catch up doses ensuring most young children are protected. The move aims to reduce severe illness (including rare fatalities), children missing school and parents having to take time off work.
In this article, we’ll discuss:
Why is the Chickenpox Vaccine Being Introduced Now?
Chickenpox jabs have already been part of the national immunisation schedules of many other countries such as Germany, Australia and the USA.
A common myth is that chickenpox is always a mild illness and we should be encouraging children to get the infection by attending so-called ‘chickenpox parties.’ Well for some, it's a horrible disease; it can make you or your child extremely unwell. Some end up in hospital with rare complications such as encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain), a pneumonitis (widespread severe inflammation of both lungs) or even sepsis. Sadly, around 20 people die unnecessarily every year from chickenpox infection in the UK.
Benefits of the 2026 NHS Chickenpox Vaccine Programme
For the child:
As mentioned above, it can prevent serious complications and even rare fatalities.
It’s usually a mild illness thankfully but your child will end up missing a lot of school.
For the parent:
If your child falls ill with chickenpox, as a parent you will have to take unpaid or holiday leave off work.
This could be particularly costly for you if you’re self-employed.
You may also lose nursery fees.
Or have to cancel pre-booked holidays.
For the community:
If more kids get the chickenpox jab, then they can’t pass it on to other people. This in turn means that those who have not been exposed to chickenpox before will be protected.
This is what we call herd immunity.
Herd immunity acts as a shield for vulnerable patients such as those with a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy, cancer or other illnesses.
If you’re are teenager or an adult who has not had chickenpox or the vaccine, then you’re also more likely to have severe disease and complications, especially if you have lung disease (such as asthma), smoke or have other health problems. You won’t be eligible for the chickenpox vaccine on the NHS but Health Klinix can offer the jab privately. You can easily book an appointment online at a time to suit you.
For the economy and the NHS:
The benefits are not just for individuals and families; the UK government and NHS will also be better off. It's estimated that up to £24 million of parental productivity is lost every year because of reduced parental work absence.
Reduced GP visits and hospital admissions. The NHS also spends around £15 million a year treating chickenpox and its complications.
We feel the chickenpox vaccination is a no brainer really; it's a win for the child, the parent, the community, the NHS and the UK economy as a whole.
What’s Changing in the Childhood Vaccine Schedule
Briefly, the new chickenpox vaccination schedule will be introduced from the 1st of January 2026. Anyone turning 12 months on or after that date will be offered a dose of the new MMRV vaccine that includes Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella (Chickenpox) all at the same time. A second dose of the same MMRV vaccine will then be offered at 18 months to complete the course. This will be instead of previous second MMR vaccine offered at 3 years and four months.
If your child has already had chickenpox then the immunity lasts for life and they will not need any vaccination.
For older children, there’ll be a catch-up programme (see table below)
The new NHS free chickenpox vaccination schedule 2026 explained:
Age Group / Cohort | Change / Vaccine Offered | Timing / Notes |
Children turning 12 months on or after 1 Jan 2026 | Two doses of MMRV at 12 months and 18 months (replacing MMR) | Routine schedule from Jan 2026 |
Children turning 18 months on or after 1 Jan 2026 | One dose of MMRV to complete the two-dose MMR schedule | Routine schedule from Jan 2026 |
Children aged 18 months to 3 years 4 months on 1 Jan 2026 ( divided into two subsets...) | One dose of MMRV instead of second MMR dose | Schedule adjustment: |
– Aged 18 months to 2 years 6 months | Invited to bring forward second MMR (as MMRV) between 1 Jan 2026 and 31 Oct 2026 | Will be offered an early single catch up dose |
– Aged 2 years 7 months to 3 years 4 months | Receive second MMR (as MMRV) at existing 3 years 4 months appointment before 31 Oct 2026 | Catch-up within existing appointment schedule |
Children aged 3 years 4 months to <6 years | Invited for a single universal catch-up dose of MMRV | Appointments 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 |
Children aged 6 years to <11 years, no chickenpox history | Invited for a single MMRV dose | Appointments 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Mar 2027 |
From 1 Apr 2027 | On-request or opportunistic single MMRV dose for unvaccinated children aged 3 years 4 months to <11 years with no chickenpox history pre-Jan 2026 | Long-term availability after catch-up programme ends |
Safety and Effectiveness of the MMRV Vaccine
Evidence from other countries
The MMRV vaccine has been used extensively in other countries such as USA, Canada, Australia and Germany and has an excellent safety record. Common side effects include soreness at the injection site, fever and occasionally, a rash. Please note that the vaccine has NOT been linked to autism.
Risk of febrile seizures vs disease complications
The MMRV vaccine has, however, been associated with a slight increase in febrile seizures in those aged less than 7 years of age. One large study estimated this to be about 4 per 10,000 doses administered. However, please don't worry as this is uncommon and febrile seizures are self-limiting and not serious. You can easily reduce the risk by giving your child paracetamol if they develop a fever. But remember, if your child does not receive this vaccine however, then there’s a much higher risk of serious disease complications, and even death. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate the measles vaccination has saved around 60 million lives from 2020 to 2023.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) committee Review of the Vaccine
The JCVI committee in the UK has extensively reviewed the chickenpox vaccine safety and benefits by looking at historical data on its use internationally and concluded by recommending that it should be introduced into the NHS National Immunisation schedule.
Free NHS Chickenpox vaccine - Frequently asked Questions
When will my child get the chickenpox vaccine?
The vaccine will be offered from the 1st of January 2026
Who is eligible and when?
Children who turned 12 months on or after the 1st of January 2026 will be offered two vaccines. All other children up to the age of 11 years receive one dose as an MMRV vaccine.
See full details of the schedule in the table above.
What if my child already had chickenpox?
If your child has already had chickenpox then the immunity is lifelong and so they won’t need the chickenpox vaccine.
What chickenpox vaccine side effects should I expect?
Mostly none! See Safety and Effectiveness of the MMRV Vaccine.
How will I be notified (GP, NHS app, letter)?
Details are yet to be released but your GP surgery will contact you automatically if your child is eligible.
Is there a risk of shingles later in life?
No. The JCVI has reviewed real world data from countries that have introduced the vaccine in childhood and there’s no risk of shingles later in life.
Where can I find trusted information?
Health Klinix is led by a consultant in infectious diseases and will be a valuable source of trusted information. Please also look at our references list at the end of the article for other reliable sources of facts.
Key Messages
To recap and summarise, the NHS will be introducing a free chickenpox vaccine to all children and 11 years from the 1st of January 2026. This is a safe and effective vaccine that has been used extensively in a number of other countries. Your GP says you will contact you to book your child very soon so it’s really important that you act and respond following this invitation. It will protect your child, the community, and reduce costs for the NHS and the UK economy.
If your child is not eligible for the vaccine or you would like them to have it sooner, Health Klinix would be happy to offer the vaccine privately. If you're a teenager or an adult who's not had chickenpox before, you're more likely to have severe disease complications and we would recommend vaccination. 80% of people who die from chickenpox are adults. Learn more about why adults become so ill with chickenpox.
Sources and References:
1. Free chickenpox vaccination offered for the first time to children Dept of Health and Social Care. UK Government.
2. Herd immunity Oxford Knowledge Vaccine Project.
3. Changes to the GP contract 2025/26 NHS England, UK.
4. Measles, mumps and Rubella(MMR)Vaccine safety. Centers for Disease Control, USA.
5. Measles-Mumps-Rubella-Varicella Combination Vaccine and the Risk of Febrile Seizures. Klein et al. Pediatrics. 2010.
6. JCVI statement on a childhood varicella (Chickenpox) Vaccination programme. November 2023. Joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, UK.
Written and Approved by:
Dr Ravi Gowda
Consultant in Infectious Diseases
MBBS, MRCP(UK), MRCGP, DTM&H, DCH, DRCOG, DFFP