A toll recorded before routine vaccination

More than 3,000 children and young people in England were admitted to hospital with chickenpox in 2025, according to a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) report published on 30 October 2026. The report recorded 3,037 hospital admissions among under-18s. A sample of GP practices also logged more than 15,000 consultations for chickenpox among children and young people, while a sample of 439 nurseries and primary schools recorded 4,117 absences linked to the illness.

The 2025 figures describe the position before chickenpox protection joined the routine NHS childhood programme. Since 1 January 2026, children have been offered protection through the combined measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine as part of the routine schedule. Two doses are given, at 12 months and at 18 months.

Catch-up programme from November

A catch-up programme will run from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2028. One dose of MMRV will be offered to children born between 1 January 2020 and 31 August 2022 who have not had chickenpox or received two doses of a varicella vaccine. UKHSA is urging eligible families to take up the offer. The report does not show the full number of chickenpox cases, because many families do not seek medical care for a mild illness, so hospital admissions and GP consultations capture only part of the picture.

Why the figures matter

Chickenpox is often thought of as a mild childhood illness, but the hospital total shows that a minority of cases become serious enough to need inpatient care. The new routine programme, together with the catch-up offer for older children who missed out, is intended to reduce that burden over time. Families who are unsure whether their child is eligible are advised to check with their GP practice or through NHS vaccination information, rather than relying on the headline dates alone.

Sources: Open Access Government | Britain's News