Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason the shingles vaccine is offered by the NHS to people who turned 65 on or after 1 September 2023 but not those who were born between 1955 and 1958 unless they have a severely weakened immune system.

From September 2023, the routine shingles vaccination programme changed from the one-dose Zostavax vaccine to the two-dose Shingrix vaccine, to better protect individuals from the effects of shingles, provide better clinical outcomes, and reduce pressures on the health system. The programme was also expanded, and as a result, almost one million more people became eligible for the shingles vaccination.

The expansion to individuals aged 60 years old is being rolled out in phases to maximise cost-effectiveness and population benefit, ensure consistent messaging to maximise coverage, and take account of National Health Service capacity, all while being consistent with the approach taken by all four nations in the United Kingdom. During the first phase, which commenced in September 2023, those who reach the ages of 65 or 70 years old will be called in for vaccination on or after their 65th or 70th birthday. During the second phase, from September 2028, individuals will be called in for vaccination on or after their 60th or 65th birthday. From 1 September 2033 onwards, vaccination will be routinely offered to those turning 60 years of age on or after their 60th birthday.

At this point in the year, the majority of individuals born in 1955 will have turned 70 years old and therefore will now be eligible for their vaccination. Those who have not yet turned 70 years old but were already 65 years old or over before 1 September 2023 will become eligible when they turn 70 years old.

As of September 2025, all severely immunosuppressed individuals aged 18 years old and over became eligible for shingles vaccination. This is because individuals who are severely immunosuppressed are most at risk of serious illness and complications from shingles, and so it is particularly important that they are protected against this disease.

This is a relatively newly expanded programme, and anyone unsure if they are eligible for the shingles vaccination should check online, on the NHS.UK website, or should speak to their general practitioner.