Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to the NHS of shingles-related (1) GP appointments, (2) A&E attendances, and (3) hospital admissions, by adults aged (a) 80 and over between November 2024 and the planned date of vaccine programme implementation, and (b) aged 60 to 70 in the between 2019 and the planned date of vaccine programme implementation.

Modelling which estimated the cost of shingles-related general practice attendance and hospitalisation was considered by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). In November 2024, JCVI advised that adults aged 80 years old and over should become eligible for shingles vaccination.

The Government is still carefully considering this advice and examining factors including affordability and cost-effectiveness, the last of which is calculated based on the health benefits and costs of vaccinating this cohort. This process is being worked through as quickly as possible.

For any routine vaccination programme which the Government has agreed to implement, decisions on when to introduce or expand the programme are based on factors including availability of supply, feasibility of workforce delivery and affordability.

The second phase of the routine shingles vaccination programme for immunocompetent adults is due to begin on 1 September 2028, after which adults will become eligible at age between 60 and 65 years old.