UK travel vaccine access
NHS vs private travel vaccinations
The NHS website says some travel vaccines are free on the NHS and some you need to pay for. This table follows its lists. Private vaccine prices are not shown.
Source: NHS website: Travel vaccinations, read 2026-10-26 (page last reviewed 2026-04-30). nhs.uk describes services in England.
Quick answer
Free at a GP surgery after a risk assessment form: Cholera, Polio (as part of the combined Td/IPV vaccination), Hepatitis A, Typhoid fever. Not routinely available on the NHS, so you pay: Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis, Yellow fever (only at certain vaccination centres). You can pay at a private vaccination clinic, a pharmacy with travel health services, or a GP surgery if available.
NHS and private route by vaccine
| Vaccine or medicine | NHS route | Private price | Booking note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis A | Free on the NHS at a GP surgery after a risk assessment form (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Check GP availability first if you have enough time. |
| Typhoid | Free on the NHS at a GP surgery after a risk assessment form (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Oral and injectable products have different schedules. |
| Cholera | Free on the NHS at a GP surgery after a risk assessment form (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Mostly relevant for higher-risk itineraries. |
| Polio (combined Td/IPV) | Free on the NHS at a GP surgery after a risk assessment form (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Given as part of the combined tetanus, diphtheria and polio vaccination. |
| Hepatitis B | Not routinely available on the NHS; you pay (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Usually a course. |
| Yellow fever | Not routinely available on the NHS; you pay (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Only at certain vaccination centres; certificate rules matter. |
| Rabies | Not routinely available on the NHS; you pay (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Pre-exposure vaccination does not remove the need for urgent care after bites. |
| Japanese encephalitis | Not routinely available on the NHS; you pay (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Most relevant for longer rural or seasonal risk. |
| Tick-borne encephalitis | Not routinely available on the NHS; you pay (nhs.uk) | Not shown (prescription medicine) | Risk depends on destination and outdoor exposure. |
| Malaria tablets | Not listed on the nhs.uk travel vaccinations page | Not tracked | Prescription medicines, not vaccines; ask the prescriber what is charged. |
Ask your GP surgery early: some vaccines need more than one dose before you travel.
For vaccines you pay for, ask whether a quote is per dose or for the whole course.
Yellow fever certificates come only from registered Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres.
Related pages
Sources & further reading
- NHS travel vaccinations — Which travel vaccines are free at a GP surgery and which you pay for (read 2026-10-26).
- TravelHealthPro — NaTHNaC destination-specific travel health advice and vaccine guidance.
- NaTHNaC yellow fever centres — UK Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre registry and certification context.
- WHO travel and health — International travel health and vaccination requirement context.