For the first time, parents in England will be able to get the chickenpox vaccine for their children free on the NHS. Starting January 2025, the jab will be folded into the routine childhood schedule as a combined MMRV vaccine, protecting against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in one go. It follows a long-running debate in the UK and a formal recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) in late 2023.
The change matters. Chickenpox is often mild, but it still sends children to hospital every year with complications like bacterial skin infections, pneumonia, and—in rare cases—neurological problems. Families also lose workdays while caring for kids stuck at home. Countries that added varicella vaccination years ago, including the United States, Germany, Australia and Canada, report sharp drops in cases and admissions.
What’s changing and when
From January 2025, GP practices in England will start offering MMRV as part of the standard schedule. The plan is a two-dose programme: the first dose at 12 months, the second at 18 months. Around 500,000 children a year are expected to be protected under the rollout in England, with similar moves likely to follow across the UK.
Right now, families who want varicella vaccination typically go private, paying about £150 for two doses at high-street pharmacies or clinics. Making it available on the NHS removes that cost and levels the playing field for parents who couldn’t afford it. NHS England says practices are preparing for the switch, with clinics planning extra appointments and teams training on the new schedule.
Expect a familiar process: parents will receive routine reminders from their GP surgery or child health service, just as they do for other jabs. Most children will get MMRV at the same visit as other scheduled vaccines, which helps cut repeat appointments and needle sticks.
Officials are also weighing how to handle children who are older than 18 months when the programme starts. Health departments are expected to set out any catch-up plans later this year, likely prioritising preschool children and those at higher risk of complications or who live with someone who is clinically vulnerable.
Why the combined jab? Using MMRV reduces the number of injections and keeps the schedule simple. A single appointment covering four diseases is easier for families and clinics, especially at a time when vaccine uptake for several childhood shots has slipped below the World Health Organization’s 95% target in England.
Effectiveness is strong. Data used by the JCVI and the NHS show that two doses protect about 98% of children from chickenpox. Protection is long-lasting, and there’s no booster planned after the two-dose course. Real-world experience backs that up: after the United States shifted to a two-dose programme in 2006, outbreaks in schools and nurseries plummeted and hospital admissions fell steeply.
There’s a wider system gain too. Fewer chickenpox cases mean fewer GP visits and fewer antibiotics for secondary infections, plus less pressure on urgent and emergency care during peak seasons. For families, it means fewer missed nursery and school days—and fewer parents having to take time off at short notice.
Safety, eligibility and practical questions
Safety has been the sticking point for some parents, so let’s be clear on what the evidence shows. This vaccine has been used across multiple countries for decades and has a strong safety record. The most common side effects are short-lived: a sore arm, mild fever, and occasionally a small rash. Health teams will monitor safety closely during the rollout, as they do for every NHS vaccination programme.
There is a known small increase in the risk of fever-related seizures when MMRV is given at around 12 months compared with giving MMR and varicella as separate injections. That increase is rare, short-lived, and doesn’t cause long-term problems, according to international surveillance. The overall balance of benefit still strongly favours vaccination, and combining vaccines means fewer appointments and fewer jabs for young children.
What about shingles? Years ago, some experts worried that vaccinating children against chickenpox could lead to more shingles in adults by reducing natural exposure to the virus. Since then, longer-term data and updated modelling have eased those concerns. Countries with universal varicella vaccination have not seen a sustained surge in shingles tied to the programme. The UK has also expanded its shingles vaccination offer using a non-live vaccine for older and higher-risk adults, with a phased rollout to more age groups underway—another layer of protection in the system.
Who should not get the vaccine? Most children can, but there are a few exceptions where doctors may delay or avoid it. Speak to your GP or health visitor if your child:
- Has a severely weakened immune system (for example, certain cancers, advanced immunodeficiency, or high-dose immunosuppressive therapy).
- Has had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or to components of the vaccine (such as gelatin or neomycin).
- Is unwell with a high fever on the day—clinics usually recommend rebooking once they’re better.
- Lives with someone who is severely immunosuppressed and develops a post-vaccine rash—your GP can advise on precautions.
Can it give you chickenpox? It’s a live-attenuated vaccine, so a small number of children may get a few spots and low fever, usually much milder than natural infection. Passing the virus to others after vaccination is extremely rare. If a child does get a vaccine-related rash, clinicians may suggest keeping them away from people with severe immune problems until it settles.
How will it fit with other shots? The whole point of MMRV is to simplify the schedule. For most families, it will be offered alongside other routine jabs at the 12- and 18-month visits. If a child has already had measles, mumps and rubella vaccine separately, the surgery may offer a standalone varicella dose as part of catch-up—your GP will advise based on records.
Why now? The timing reflects two things: stronger evidence that universal vaccination works and rising concern about vaccine-preventable diseases. Measles has reappeared in parts of England, and MMR uptake has fallen to levels not seen in over a decade. By bundling varicella into the same visit as MMR, the NHS is trying to make it easier for parents to keep their child’s protection up to date, not harder. The hope is that one appointment and one combined jab will help boost coverage across the board.
Cost and access also matter. Removing the private fee helps close a clear equity gap: parents who wanted the vaccine but couldn’t pay for it were left with no option. Now the offer is the same for everyone, from city practices to rural surgeries.
What will parents actually notice on the day? Not much beyond an extra item on the appointment letter. Nurses will do the usual pre-vaccination checks, answer questions, and give the shot. Your child may be a bit grumpy or feverish later—paracetamol (dosed by weight) usually helps, and staff will explain when to use it. Some clinics ask families to wait for a short period after the jab, which is standard for any vaccine so staff can help if a child feels faint or unwell.
Side effects to watch for? The usual ones: redness or swelling where the needle went in, mild fever, and tiredness. A small number of children may get a few spots a week or two later. If you’re worried about any symptom, call your GP or NHS 111. Serious reactions are very rare, but the MHRA’s Yellow Card system is there to report anything unexpected, and the programme will be closely monitored.
Schools and nurseries stand to gain too. Chickenpox outbreaks trigger days of absence, staff shortages, and a scramble for cover. With high vaccine coverage, outbreaks become rare and smaller when they do happen. That helps parents, teachers, and employers keep daily life running.
The NHS still faces a big test: winning back trust and lifting childhood vaccine uptake to safer levels. The communication job starts now. Expect clear reminders from GP practices, simple leaflets in red books, and straight-talking messages from health visitors and local councils. Paediatricians and GPs say the playbook is familiar—make appointments easy to book, make clinics welcoming, and give parents no-nonsense answers to reasonable questions.
As with any major change, the first months will be about logistics. Supplies need to arrive on time. IT systems must record the new schedule cleanly. Staff need space and time to vaccinate a lot of toddlers. The health service has done this before with new jabs, and leaders say they’re ready for another pivot.
Bottom line for parents: look out for your child’s routine appointment from January, bring the red book, and ask anything you like when you’re there. Two doses at 12 and 18 months will give strong, long-lasting protection. If your child is older or you have questions about medical conditions, your GP team can walk you through your options and timings. The goal is simple—fewer kids in hospital, fewer families juggling sick days, and a safer start to school and nursery life.