31 October 2025

The UK Renal Pharmacy Group has issued an update summarising national vaccination recommendations for people with chronic kidney disease, dialysis and kidney transplants. The update reflects national guidance from 1 September 2025, highlighting key product and eligibility changes for the autumn vaccination period.

Download the update

Autumn 2025 updates

  • COVID-19: eligibility remains focused on adults aged 75 and over, residents in older adult care homes, and people aged six months and over who are immunosuppressed. As in 2024, household contacts and frontline health and social care workers are not included. Vaccination should be completed as soon as possible to maintain protection through winter.

  • Pneumococcal: PCV20 is expected to replace PPV23 for adults aged 65 and over and within the at-risk programme in late 2025 or early 2026.

  • Shingles: individuals aged 18 years and above with severe immunosuppression, or those anticipating immunosuppressive therapy, should be offered the Shingrix® vaccine.

Ongoing vaccination recommendations

The full table outlines vaccine guidance for patients with nephrotic syndrome, CKD stages 4–5, and those on dialysis or with a kidney transplant, including annual influenza vaccination and the continued use of high-dose hepatitis B vaccines with antibody monitoring.

Next steps

Teams are encouraged to review local vaccination protocols, ensure patients remain up to date with national guidance, and prepare for the introduction of PCV20.

Further information: