Homeless people will be given free flu jabs this year. Here’s why it could save lives

Every person across the country is rightly entitled to healthcare. But accessing it can be a lot harder for those experiencing homelessness. Illnesses like flu can be particularly serious for homeless people due to existing health problems, being exposed to cold and damp weather, and difficulty getting healthcare.

This government is committed to ending homelessness, which is why we’ve ended no fault evictions through the Renters’ Rights Bill, committed to building 1.5 new homes – including the biggest boost in social and affordable housing in a generation, and why we’ve given councils across the country £84 million to provide more support for thousands of people in temporary accommodation.

That is also why, this autumn, the NHS will offer free flu vaccinations to people experiencing homelessness in England – focussing on those sleeping rough or staying in hostels and night shelters. It is a practical step to protect a group at high risk of serious respiratory illness who are too often left behind.

Because the reality is stark.

Read more:

• Meet the people helping homeless women get vital smear tests: ‘You’ve got to hear their voices’
• Rough sleeping is deadly. We meet the NHS outreach workers trying to save lives on the street
• This life saving-clinic is helping homeless people breathe better – and reducing strain on the NHS

People experiencing homelessness are more likely to experience poorer access to healthcare, worse health outcomes, and to die younger. Respiratory infections like flu contribute to this.

And yet, despite facing risks equal to – or in some cases greater than – those already eligible for vaccination, too many have been underserved by services that many of us take for granted.

That is not just a gap in provision. It is an injustice.

Through our 10 Year Health Plan, this government has been clear that we will not accept a system where who you are or where you come from determines your chances of staying well. We are building an NHS that tackles inequalities head on – and works for everyone.

Expanding access to flu vaccination for people experiencing homelessness is part of delivering on that promise. 

The flu jab is safe, free, and offers the best protection against a virus that can be serious for people already facing tough conditions.

It follows expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which recognises the very high levels of poor health among people sleeping rough and their increased risk from diseases like flu.

But this is not just about eligibility. It is about access.

We know that people experiencing homelessness can face real barriers to healthcare – from not being registered with a GP, to struggling to attend appointments, to navigating services that were simply not designed with their circumstances in mind.

If we are serious about reducing inequalities, we cannot expect people to fit around systems that do not work for them. We must design services that reach people where they are.

That means working closely with outreach teams, hostels, and frontline organisations that are already supporting people day in, day out. It means making vaccination simple, accessible, and delivered in trusted settings.

And it means recognising that small, practical changes – like offering a flu jab in a place someone already visits – can make a life-saving difference.

There is also a wider benefit.

Increasing vaccination among vulnerable groups helps to reduce the spread of flu across communities, preventing avoidable illness, reducing hospitalisations and easing pressure on the NHS during the most challenging time of the year.

In other words, protecting those most at risk helps protect us all.

But at its heart, this is about fairness and dignity.

Because behind every statistic is a person – someone navigating incredibly difficult circumstances, someone who deserves the same chance to stay well as anyone else.

For too long, people experiencing homelessness have been missed by services many of us rely on without a second thought. This change is about putting that right.

By making sure vulnerable groups can access free flu vaccinations on the NHS, we are taking a clear, practical step to ensure they are not overlooked – and that they receive the same potentially life-saving protection as other at-risk groups.

This is how we’re building an NHS that reaches people where they are, tackling inequality at its root, and works for everyone.

This winter, we are making a simple choice. To act.

Sharon Hodgson, parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Department for Health and Social Care

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