Upcoming Changes to the UK Childhood Vaccination Schedule: Key Updates for Healthcare Professionals.
Effective from 1 July 2025
- Discontinuation of Hib/MenC (Menitorix) Vaccine at 1 Year
- Children born on or after 1 July 2024 will no longer receive the combined Hib/MenC vaccine at their one-year immunisation appointment.
- This change is due to the cessation of Menitorix production.
- Protection against MenC will continue through the adolescent MenACWY vaccination programme.(GOV.UK)
- Adjustments to MenB and PCV13 Vaccination Schedule
- The second dose of the MenB vaccine will be administered earlier, at 12 weeks instead of 16 weeks, to provide earlier protection.
- The first dose of the PCV13 vaccine will be moved from 12 weeks to 16 weeks to balance the immunisation schedule and avoid increasing the number of injections at the 12-week visit (GOV.UK).
- Changes to the Selective Neonatal Hepatitis B Program
- For infants born on or after 1 July 2024, the monovalent HepB vaccine dose at one year will be removed from the schedule.
- Instead, these children will receive an additional dose of the hexavalent vaccine at 18 months (see January 2026 changes).
- Dried Blood Spot (DBS) testing for HepB surface antigen can now be performed anytime between one year and 18 months of age (GOV.UK).
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Effective from 1 January 2026
- Introduction of a New 18-Month Vaccination Appointment
- Children born on or after 1 July 2024 will be scheduled for a new routine vaccination appointment at 18 months of age.
- At this appointment, they will receive a fourth dose of the hexavalent vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB) to maintain protection against Hib and HepB (GOV.UK).
- Advancement of the Second MMR Dose
- The second dose of the MMR vaccine will be moved from 3 years and 4 months to 18 months of age.
- This change aims to improve uptake and provide earlier protection against measles, mumps, and rubella (Gov.UK).
Summary of Schedule Changes
| Age | Previous Schedule | New Schedule (from effective dates) |
| 8 weeks | 1st DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, 1st MenB, 1st Rotavirus | No change |
| 12 weeks | 2nd DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, 1st PCV13, 2nd Rotavirus | 2nd DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, 2nd MenB, 2nd Rotavirus |
| 16 weeks | 3rd DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, 2nd MenB | 3rd DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, 1st PCV13 |
| 1 year | Hib/MenC, 2nd PCV13, 1st MMR, 3rd MenB | 2nd PCV13, 1st MMR, 3rd MenB (Hib/MenC removed) |
| 18 months | Not applicable | 4th DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB, 2nd MMR (new appointment) |
| 3y 4m | 2nd MMR, dTaP/IPV | dTaP/IPV (2nd MMR moved to 18 months) |
Implementation and Resources
- Healthcare professionals should update their practices to reflect these changes and ensure that all staff involved in immunisation are informed.
- The UKHSA will provide updated resources, including an amended immunisation schedule and guidance documents.
- For operational/clinical queries, contact your NHS England Screening and Immunisation Teams.
These updates are designed to streamline the immunisation schedule and maintain high levels of protection against vaccine-preventable diseases in children. Healthcare professionals play a crucial role in implementing these changes and ensuring continued public health success (GOV.UK).
For detailed information and official guidance, please refer to the full letter from UKHSA and NHS England: Changes to the routine childhood vaccination schedule from 1 July 2025 and 1 January 2026.
For specific details on the selective neonatal Hepatitis B immunisation pathway, refer to Annexe B: Changes to the selective neonatal Hepatitis B immunisation pathway for babies born to Hepatitis B infected mothers.
