Children from struggling families to be offered at-home vaccines in £2m scheme

A new Government pilot scheme will see health visitors deliver vaccinations directly to children from vulnerable families in their homes across various parts of England.

The £2 million initiative aims to boost immunisation rates, following new figures that revealed no single childhood vaccine in England met the crucial 95 per cent target required to prevent diseases from spreading among young people.

A Government statement said that the pilot would focus on families who have “fallen through the cracks – including those not signed up with a GP, struggling with travel costs, childcare juggling, language barriers or other tough circumstances that stop them getting to the doctor”.

It said that the scheme is not intended to replace existing GP vaccinations, and urged families to continue using their local surgery for their child’s immunisations.

The 12 pilot programmes are set to commence from mid-January.

They will cover regions including London, the Midlands, North-East England and Yorkshire, the North West, and the South West.

“Every parent deserves the chance to protect their child from preventable diseases, but some families have a lot going on and that can mean they miss out,” Health Secretary Wes Streeting said.

“Health visitors are already trusted faces in communities across the country. By allowing them to offer vaccinations, we’re using the relationships and expertise that already exist to reach families who need support most.

“Fixing the NHS means tackling health inequalities head-on. By meeting families where they are, we’re not just boosting vaccination rates – we’re building a health service that works for everyone.”

The year-long trial will be evaluated ahead of a potential nationwide roll out from 2027.

Health visitors will get extra training on how to handle conversations with parents who may be reluctant to have their child vaccinated.

Struggling families will be identified by the NHS using GP records, health visitor notes and local databases.

The pilot comes after figures released in August 2025 showed there continues to be sharp differences in uptake across regions of the country.

Health officials warned that almost one in five children would be starting primary school in September without full protection against a number of serious diseases.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least 95 per cent of children should receive vaccine doses for each illness to achieve herd immunity.

None of the main childhood vaccines in England reached this target in 2024/25, figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed: