FAQs

49. Claims for activity related to the administration of seasonal vaccinations must be submitted on the relevant system as soon as possible. Practices must validate and submit a claim to the Commissioner for payment within three months of the date of the administration of the completing dose of the vaccine as outlined in Section 10 of the COVID-19 and Adult Seasonal Influenza ES.

NHS England » General practice: Seasonal Vaccination Programmes – additional guidance 2026/27

25. If a patient changes practice after a seasonal vaccine was administered and within the reporting period, the practice where the patient is registered at the extraction date following the end of the monthly reporting period is the practice that will be paid for any vaccination provided to that patient.  

NHS England » General practice: Seasonal Vaccination Programmes – additional guidance 2026/27

Pharmacy contractors will be commissioned under an advanced service for COVID-19 vaccinations from April 2026. As is the case now, where a pharmacy contractor wants to provide the COVID-19 vaccination service, they will also be required to deliver the flu vaccination service.

Amongst the key changes from 01 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 outlined in the National letter to Community Pharmacy was the increasing the adult flu item of service fee from £9.58 to £10.06 in line with the GP arrangements.

Like general pracitce there will no longer be an additional £10 payment for the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations to housebound people. Pharmacy contractors will be able to claim £8.70 per vaccine administered between 1 September 2026 and 31 January 2027 while the flu vaccination campaign is underway; and £10.06 outside the flu vaccination campaign.

Yes. To help support improvements in access and uptake, community pharmacies will be able to offer children flu vaccinations during the 2026 to 2027 flu season in line with the Community pharmacy childhood seasonal influenza vaccination advanced service specification from the 01 October 2026.

They will also be able to offer vaccinations to children who miss their vaccinations at school from 01 December 2026.

The specifications can be seen on our signposting page.

GP Practices and Community Pharmacy colleagues are equally at liberty to advertise and promote their immunisation services and we would encourage you to pro-actively do so, but both the LMCs and Community Pharmacy Surrey and Sussex would urge colleagues not to express this in ways that undermine the other’s professionalism in the eyes of each other and their patients, this includes activity that could be perceived as actively enticing patients to attend one practice over another provider.

The Community Pharmacy England guidance states that Pharmacists are required to include an anaphylaxis pack as part of their preparation to provide the flu service in the pharmacy or offsite. They refer to the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Vaccination Training – GOV.UK

Since 2020, the Community Pharmacy Seasonal Influenza Advanced Service Specification enabled community pharmacies to vaccinate in the pharmacy premises, but also in other suitable locations, such as in the Patient’s home, a long-stay care home, a long-stay residential facility or community venues (e.g. community centres).

The pharmacy contractor must obtain consent from the commissioner if they wish to carry out vaccinations off of the pharmacy premises.