📢 UK Childhood Vaccination Schedule (2025) & What To Do If a Dose Is Missed
- Ann Augustin
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
🎓 UK Childhood Immunisation Schedule (2025)
Age | Vaccines Given |
8 weeks | 6-in-1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB), MenB (1), Rotavirus (1) |
12 weeks | 6-in-1 (2), MenB (2), Rotavirus (2) |
16 weeks | 6-in-1 (3), PCV (1) |
1 year | Hib/MenC (for children born ≤ 30 June 2024), PCV booster(2), MMR (1), MenB booster(3) |
18 months | 6-in-1 (4) (4th dose for children born ≥ 1 July 2024), MMR (2) (for those born ≥ July 2024) |
2 to 17 years | Annual nasal flu (LAIV) each autumn/winter (every year until children finish Year 11 of secondary school) |
3y 4m | Pre-school booster: 4-in-1 (DTaP/IPV), MMR (2) (for those born ≤ June 2024) |
12–13 years | HPV vaccine (2 doses) |
14 years | Td/IPV vaccine (3-in-1 teenage booster)MenACWY vaccine |
⚡ Exam Pearls:
LAIV (Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine): Nasal spray, annual, contraindicated in severe asthma, immunosuppression, or aspirin use
MMR timing differs depending on birth cohort (check for July 2024 cutoff)
MenB moved earlier to 12 weeks in updated schedule
🧪 Vaccine Types & High-Yield Characteristics
Type | Examples | Key Points |
Live Attenuated | MMR, BCG, Yellow Fever, Nasal Flu, Oral Typhoid | Strong immunity, contraindicated in immunocompromised or pregnancy |
Inactivated | Rabies, Hep A, IPV, JE (IXIARO) | Safe in immunocompromised, but may need boosters |
Toxoid | Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis toxoid | Targets bacterial toxins; used in combination vaccines |
Subunit (Recombinant) | HPV, Hep B, MenB | Contains fragments, safe, needs adjuvants and multiple doses |
Conjugate | Hib, MenC, PCV, MenACWY | Polysaccharide + protein, especially effective in infants/young children |
Catch-up Vaccination (UK, 2025) — What to do if a child is late
Golden rules for catch-up
• Don’t restart a course, no matter how long the gap.
• Use minimum 4-week intervals between doses of the same vaccine unless guidance says otherwise. GOV.UK
• Give due vaccines today if eligible; book the remainder at the earliest valid interval. nhs.uk
Vaccine | If late, how many to give now? | Minimum gaps | Any age cut-off? |
6-in-1 | Complete to 3 primaries; plus 18-month 6-in-1 booster for July 2025+ cohort | 4 weeks between primaries | |
MenB | Finish 2 primaries + 1 booster on/after 1 y | ≥8 w between primaries; booster ≥8 w after last | |
Rotavirus | Do not give if over limits | — | |
PCV | If ≥1 y and missed: give the 1-year dose (regardless of earlier PCV) | ≥4 w after any prior PCV | No extra primary needed once ≥1 y healthy child gets the booster GOV.UK |
MMR | 2 doses if not fully immunised | ≥4 w apart | No upper age cut-off; avoid in pregnancy nhs.uk |
Flu | Offer within current season | — | Annual programme only GOV.UK |
4-in-1 (pre-school) | 1 dose if missed, from 3 y+ | (Local min gap after last DTaP applies) | — GOV.UK |
HPV | <25 y: usually 1 dose; 25–45 y: 2; immunocompromised: 3 | Per NHS rules (e.g., 6–24 m for 2-dose adult schedule) | |
Td/IPV teenage | 1 dose if missed | — | Catch-up via school/GP nhs.uk |
MenACWY | 1 dose if missed | — | Catch-up to age 25 (esp. freshers) nhs.uk |