The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is urging parents to ensure their children receive routine immunisations on time, as new figures show childhood vaccination uptake by age five is showing early signs of stabilising following a decade-long downward trend.
According to the latest annual Cover of Vaccination Evaluated Rapidly (COVER) report published by UKHSA, vaccines delivered ahead of primary school entry held steady in the 2025-26 period.
Two-dose MMR coverage among five-year-olds was recorded at 83.8% (compared to 83.7% in 2024-25 and 83.9% in 2023-24).
The 6-in-1 vaccine, protecting against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, Hib, and hepatitis B, reached 92.9%, up marginally from 92.8% the previous year.
However, no routine childhood vaccine currently meets the World Health Organization (WHO) 95% coverage target needed for herd immunity.
Vaccine coverage for infants measured at one and two years of age fell across all indicators over the past year.
Uptake of the 4-in-1 pre-school booster showed modest improvement, rising 0.6 percentage points to 81.9%, but still is the lowest-performing routine intervention on the national schedule. Regional variations remain pronounced, with London continuing to see the lowest uptake rates nationwide.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Director of Immunisation at the UKHSA, stressed that timely uptake is essential to prevent preventable hospitalisations and outbreaks: “It is encouraging that we are seeing some signs of the childhood vaccination programme stabilising, but we have a long way to go before all children are fully protected at the right time when they are most vulnerable to a number of serious diseases.
“Parents want to do what is best for their children and most do have trust in NHS childhood vaccines, which prevent tens of thousands ending up in hospital every year. We have now largely forgotten how many young lives were lost to diseases like measles and diphtheria before we had these vaccines.
“No child today in this country should have to suffer a disease that is so easily preventable. Parents should check their children are up to date with all their vaccines and, if not, contact your GP practice as soon as possible. It’s never too late to catch up.”
Routine protection was expanded on 1 January with the addition of the varicella component to create the combined MMRV vaccine. NHS England and regional Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are offering targeted catch-up clinics, school pop-ups, and localised outreach projects to close immunity gaps.
