UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Announces Flu Vaccine and Seat‑belt Penalty Reforms

Prime Minister Andy Burnham, leading the new Labour government, confirmed a revised national flu immunisation programme that will begin on 1 September 2026 for children, pregnant women and certain adults, with the remainder of the population added on 1 October 2026. The changes expand eligibility to two‑ and three‑year‑olds, school‑aged children and clinical risk groups, and introduce community pharmacy delivery for these cohorts. The programme also adds people experiencing homelessness aged 16 and over to the vaccine rollout.

In a separate road‑safety initiative, Burnham is reviewing a proposal to impose three penalty points on drivers who fail to wear a seat‑belt or do not ensure that a child passenger is properly restrained. The rule, originally drafted under former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, would come under the Department for Transport’s DVLA and aims to strengthen compliance with existing seat‑belt legislation.