Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of covid-19 vaccine take-up rates among migrants living in the UK, including people without formal immigration status.
No specific assessment has been made. A National Health Service or National Insurance number is not required to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. If an individual is not registered with a general practitioner, NHS regional teams and local systems will contact these individuals to ensure they are offered the vaccine. The ‘COVID-19: migrant health guide’ provides advice for healthcare practitioners on the health needs of migrant patients during the pandemic, which is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-migrant-health-guide
We have worked with NHS England to provide guidance to migrants to support them to make an informed decision on receiving the vaccine and to encourage uptake. Additionally, over £23 million has been provided to 60 councils and voluntary groups in areas of low vaccine uptake in England.