UK Chickenpox vaccination: Children across the UK are being offered protection against chickenpox as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule, with the NHS introducing a combined MMRV vaccine that covers measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox).
The change replaces the long-standing MMR jab used since 1988 for the routine programme, and GP practices have begun offering the updated vaccine to eligible families from January 2, 2026. Under the new schedule, infants are offered two doses, one at 12 months and a second at 18 months, to reduce the risk of chickenpox infection and complications.
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Chickenpox is highly contagious and common in childhood; official figures cited in the UK reporting indicate that around half of children catch it by age four and about 90% by age 10.
While many cases are mild, the illness can lead to complications such as chest infections and seizures that require hospital care. The move brings the UK into line with countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and Germany, where MMRV is already part of routine vaccination schedules and has been linked to sharp declines in chickenpox cases and hospital admissions. Until now, many parents in the UK who wanted chickenpox vaccination for their children typically had to obtain it privately, often paying around £150, though the NHS has offered it free in certain high-risk contact situations.
The policy shift followed expert recommendations and is projected to save the NHS around £15 million a year through fewer GP visits and hospital admissions, while reducing wider disruption and productivity losses for families estimated at £24 million annually.
Health authorities have also pointed to earlier debates about the relationship between chickenpox infection and shingles later in life, noting that the UK now has a shingles vaccination programme for older adults and that experience from countries already using varicella vaccination has informed the decision.
