More than 3,000 children and young people in England were admitted to hospital with chickenpox in 2025, according to the UK Health Security Agency. Its Varicella Annual Report 2025, published today, sets out the burden of the illness in the year before protection was added to the routine NHS childhood vaccination schedule.
Key points
- Hospital admissions — 3,037 under-18s were hospitalised with chickenpox in 2025.
- GP visits — a sample of about a third of practices recorded over 15,000 consultations for under-18s.
- Youngest hit hardest — under-ones had the highest hospitalisation rate, at 5.8 per 100,000.
- Catch-up jabs — from 1 November 2026, eligible children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 can get the MMRV vaccine.
Children aged five and under made up more than 70% of clinical chickenpox reports to regional UKHSA health protection teams. The agency said its data captures only part of the true national picture, since many families manage the illness at home without seeking medical help. In a sample of 439 nurseries and primary schools, 4,117 absences were logged last year.
Since 1 January 2026, the chickenpox vaccine has formed part of the combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) jab, given at 12 and 18 months. Babies under one are not routinely vaccinated because the vaccine does not always produce a strong immune response at that age; they depend on wider take-up for protection.
A selective catch-up programme runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2028. Children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 who have not had chickenpox will be offered a single MMRV dose, or two doses of varicella vaccine.
Dr Gavin Dabrera, consultant epidemiologist at UKHSA, said chickenpox "might seem like a mild illness" but the figures show "the true toll this nasty disease can inflict". He urged parents of eligible children to take up the free vaccine when invited. Public health minister Dame Diana Johnson and Dr Amanda Doyle, the NHS's director for primary care and community services, also encouraged families to come forward.
What it means in practice
For most families, nothing changes straight away: babies still get the MMRV jab at 12 and 18 months as part of the usual schedule. The practical difference is for parents of children born between January 2020 and August 2022, who should watch for an invitation and check their child's vaccination record.
- Check eligibility — the catch-up offer covers children born from 1 January 2020 to 31 August 2022 who have not had chickenpox.
- One appointment — a single MMRV dose protects against chickenpox as well as measles, mumps and rubella.
- Keep records — having your child's jab history to hand will make it quicker to confirm what they need.
