None of main childhood vaccine uptake targets reached in England - as MMR uptake hits 15-year low

None of the main childhood vaccines in England reached their uptake targets last year, new figures have revealed.

There also continues to be sharp differences in uptake across different regions - with London often lagging behind.

Some 91.9% of five-year-olds have received one dose of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.

The figure remains unchanged from the previous year and at the lowest level since 2010/2011.

The World Health Organisation says 95% of children should receive vaccine doses in order to achieve herd immunity.

Just 83.7% of children aged five had received both MMR doses, down year-on-year from 83.9%, and the lowest level since 2009/10.

Coverage for the Hib/MenC vaccine, which protects against haemophilus influenzae type B and meningitis C, stood at 88.9% for children in England aged five. This is the lowest level since 2011/12.

Meanwhile, some 91.4% of children had completed their primary course of the six-in-one vaccine by the age of 12 months, up year-on-year from 91.2%.

The six-in-one jabs protect against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type B, and hepatitis B.

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Uptake of the four-in-one pre-school booster vaccine - for polio, whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria - stood at just 81.4% among five-year-olds in England in 2024/25, the lowest rate since current data began in 2009/10.

The numbers come as health officials have warned that almost one in five children will be starting primary school next month without full protection against a number of serious diseases.

Dr Mary Ramsay, director of immunisation at UKHSA, said: "Far too many children [...] are at risk of serious diseases, such as measles and whooping cough, that have in recent years caused outbreaks.

"Measles, being the most infectious disease, is the 'canary in the coalmine' and a wake-up call that urgent action is needed to stop the very real risk of other diseases re-emerging."

London lags behind

The UKHSA tracks vaccination coverage from April to March, in line with the financial year.

Its annual report has also revealed regional variations in the figures - showing London often lagging behind the national average.

Overall, 83.7% of five-year-olds have received both MMR vaccines, but just 69.6% of those in the capital have.

Take-up of the Hib/MenC vaccine among five-year-olds peaks at 93.5% in south-west England, going down to 80% in London.

The capital also has the lowest regional average for uptake of the six-in-one vaccine by the age of 12 months (at 86.3%) and the six-in-one vaccine at the age of five (86.5%).

(c) Sky News 2025: None of main childhood vaccine uptake targets reached in England - as MMR uptake hits 15-year