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Flu and Covid jabs 2024: as prices rise, who can get vaccinated for free?
If you're more at risk of getting severely ill from flu, Covid-19 or other viruses, you're likely to be eligible for a free NHS vaccination.
But vaccinations are also available more widely via employee discount schemes, and in high street pharmacies for a fee. Often you can just walk-in to get your jab.
Private flu vaccine prices have crept up since last year: for example, in 2023 a flu jab at Tesco cost £13, compared to £16 this year – an increase of 23% – and the cost has gone up at Superdrug, Boots and Asda too.
In some places, however, you may get a discount if you're a loyalty card holder, or be able to pay with loyalty points.
Read on to see if you're eligible for free jabs – if not, we've rounded up the cheapest places to get Covid and flu vaccinations privately.
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Who is eligible for a free flu vaccination?
The following people are currently eligible for a free flu jab:
- People aged 65 and over (given every year)
- Those aged between 6 months and under 65 with certain long-term health conditions
- Children aged 2-17 (usually given in nasal spray form)
- Pregnant women
- Care home residents, plus carers for elderly and disabled people
- Frontline health and social care workers
You'll be invited for a free flu vaccine if you're eligible, but contact your GP surgery if this hasn't happened or you think you qualify but haven't heard anything.
Eligibility is broadly the same across the UK, but in Scotland there is additional eligibility for school and nursery teachers and support staff. Plus, in Scotland and Northern Ireland, over 50s are eligible.
If you're not eligible for a free vaccination you can pay for a jab at most pharmacies.
Check if you can get free jabs through work, too. Your employer may offer a free flu vaccine as part of its benefits package (for example, with a voucher to be redeemed at participating pharmacies) or through a company private health scheme.
Cheapest flu jabs and how to book
The cheapest place we found for a flu jab was at Superdrug, but only if you're signed up to its 'Healthy and Beautycard' loyalty scheme. Members pay £9.95 for a flu jab (until the end of March 2025), while non-members pay £19.95.
It's free to sign up for Superdrug's loyalty scheme, so it's worthwhile if you want to get the lowest price.
The next cheapest options are the big supermarkets:
- Asda Pharmacy – £13
- Morrisons Pharmacy – £15 (£12 for Morrisons More card holders)
- Tesco Pharmacy – £16
Tesco and Superdrug allow loyalty card holders to collect points on flu vaccinations, and in the case of Superdrug you can pay for your jab with accrued points, too.
Boots flu jab is pricier, at £21.95, with no discount for Advantage Card holders – although you can collect points when you pay for it. Well Pharmacy flu jabs cost £17.99 this year.
It's also worth asking your local independent pharmacy if they offer a private flu vaccine service, too, as prices can be competitive.
How to book your private flu jab
Booking an appointment online is available in many cases, including at Boots, Asda, Superdrug, Well Pharmacy and Tesco, although ad hoc walk-in jabs are usually also possible.
Morrisons told us that while it doesn't have an online booking service, you can phone your local store to book an appointment.
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Who is eligible for a free Covid vaccination?
The following people are currently eligible for a Covid autumn 2024 jab:
- People aged 65 or over
- Those aged between 6 months and 64 years in a clinical risk group
- Pregnant women
- Residents in care homes for older adults
If you're eligible, you'll be offered an appointment by post or text, with those at highest risk being called in first. If you think you qualify and haven't heard anything yet, contact your GP surgery. Find out more on the NHS Covid-19 vaccination guide.
Cheapest private Covid jabs and how to book
These aren't as widely available as the flu jab, but you should still be able to find one near you. Prices range from around £45 up to £100.
Pharmadoctor has a database of pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom that can provide services including private Covid vaccination so you can search for a local pharmacy that offers covid jabs.
Boots Covid-19 vaccination service – available at a range of locations across the UK – costs £98.95.
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Vaccine safety and side effects
Flu vaccines are safe and effective and don't contain live viruses so won't give you flu, although they may result in mild side effects that last a day or two, including:
- Pain or soreness where you've been injected
- An aching body
- Slightly raised temperature as your immune system mounts a response to the vaccine
A painkiller taken after the vaccination may help to relieve these side effects, but contact your GP if you experience any unusual symptoms. These can also be reported via the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
RSV, pneumonia and other winter vaccines
There are certain groups of people who may benefit from having additional vaccines in preparation for the colder months.
Professor Claire Anderson, president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, says: 'Flu, Covid-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) can all lead to serious illness, particularly for older adults, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions.'
If you're eligible for these vaccines on the NHS, you should be contacted by your GP surgery, but you can check if you haven't heard anything.
Private prices for these jabs can vary. Pneumonia vaccinations can cost from around £30-100, but shingles and RSV are harder to get hold of and can cost several hundred pounds privately.
| Vaccine | Who should have it | How to get it |
|---|---|---|
| Pneumonia (pneumococcal vaccine) |
| Your GP surgery will contact you if you or your child are eligible |
| RSV (respiratory synctial virus) |
| You will be invited for the vaccine by your GP or maternity services if eligible |
| Shingles |
| Eligible people will be contacted by their GP surgery, but speak to them if this hasn't happened, you missed an appointment (and you're still under 80) or you've had a vaccine before but you now have a severely weakened immune system. |
Can you have flu and Covid jabs if you're pregnant?
Yes, pregnant women are advised to have the flu jab and Covid vaccination, no matter what stage of pregnancy they're at. This winter women are also being invited to have the RSV vaccine from 28 weeks to protect their babies from birth to six months.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) says Covid vaccines are 'strongly recommended in pregnancy because not only can Covid cause the mother serious illness, but it can also put their babies at risk of being born prematurely.'
Flu vaccines are also recommended because pregnancy can alter how the body handles viral infections and lead to a greater risk of complications such as pneumonia – if flu and Covid infection happen at the same time, this can lead to serious illness.
Speak to your midwife, obstetrician or GP so you can get all the facts to make the right decision for you and find out more in the NHS vaccinations in pregnancy guide.
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Prices checked 15 October 2024
