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Paediatric immunisation · London

Private childhood vaccinations, by a SafeVac accredited team.

Chickenpox, MenB booster, HPV Gardasil 9, MMR catch up and travel vaccines, given to Green Book standards, with a full Red Book entry and, with your consent, a note sent to your GP.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

What to look for

  • 01

    A SafeVac accredited paediatric team

    Look for a provider with a GMC or NMC registered clinician who reviews the Red Book, checks contraindications and administers to Green Book standards.

  • 02

    The right vaccine for the child

    Private vaccination makes most sense for what actually adds value beyond the NHS schedule.

  • 03

    Independent information

    This guide is independent information. It is not a clinic or a referral service.

Indicative pricing

What private childhood vaccinations cost in London.

In short

£90 to £150, given over 4 to 6 weeks.

Vaccine or service Indicative range
Vaccination review consultation £45 to £120
Chickenpox (Varilrix or Varivax), per dose x 2 £45 to £85
MenB adolescent booster (Bexsero) £120 to £180
MenACWY booster (university starters) £120 to £180
HPV (Gardasil 9), per dose, 2 or 3 dose course £150 to £220
Travel vaccination package (hep A/B, typhoid, rabies, JE, YF, TBE) £150 to £850
Family flu (quadrivalent), per person outside NHS £15 to £30
Pertussis booster for parents or grandparents (cocooning) £65 to £95

Prices vary by clinic, brand of vaccine, and whether a doctor or nurse gives the injection. Everything on the NHS schedule should be given free by your GP or school nurse first.

The problem

The right vaccine, the right clinic, the right record.

A rushed pharmacy jab with no Red Book entry and no GP notification leaves gaps that catch up with the child at school entry.

  • NHS or private?

    The NHS covers most of the schedule free at your GP and school nurse. Private is for what the NHS does not do, plus catch up and travel.

  • Worried about missed doses?

    Green Book compliant catch up brings a partial schedule back on track without doubling up or wasting doses.

  • Want it done properly?

    A SafeVac clinic, GMC or NMC registered clinician, cold chain, 15 minute observation, Red Book entry, GP notification.

When it helps

Private vaccines that add value beyond the NHS.

The requests that come up most, plus the situations where private catch up matters more than a routine top up.

  • Chickenpox (varicella) protection

    Two doses of Varilrix or Varivax, 4 to 6 weeks apart. Not on the routine NHS schedule yet, though the JCVI is moving that way in 2025.

  • MenB booster for teenagers

    NHS Bexsero is under 1s only. A private adolescent booster is worth considering before university or halls of residence.

  • Travel: hepatitis A and B, typhoid, cholera

    Standard travel cover for South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent, sub Saharan Africa, and parts of Latin America.

  • Rabies pre exposure

    For remote travel, rural volunteering, cycling or trekking trips where post exposure treatment could be delayed.

  • Tick borne encephalitis (TBE)

    Forested parts of Europe (Austria, Germany, Baltic states, Scandinavia). Two dose primary course before travel.

  • Japanese encephalitis and yellow fever

    Rural Asia (JE) and yellow fever endemic countries. Yellow fever certificate required for entry to several countries.

  • MMR and BCG catch up

    Adolescents and young adults who missed doses. BCG can be given after age 5 to high risk children who missed it as babies.

  • HPV Gardasil 9 for boys and girls

    NHS covers boys since 2019 at 12 to 13. Private catch up available for older teenagers and young adults who missed the school programme.

Vaccine options

NHS first, private for the genuine gaps.

Choosing wisely between the NHS schedule, private gap fillers, travel courses and Green Book catch up. Everything based on the UK Immunisation Handbook.

  • NHS schedule (free, do this first)

    2, 3 and 4 months (6 in 1, rotavirus, MenB, PCV), 12 to 13 months (Hib/MenC, MMR, PCV, MenB booster), 3y4m preschool booster, 12 to 13y HPV, 14y 3 in 1 Td/IPV plus MenACWY, annual Fluenz 2 to 15y.

  • Private, gap filling

    Chickenpox two dose course, MenB adolescent booster, MenACWY university booster, HPV catch up for older teenagers, pertussis cocooning for parents and grandparents of newborns.

  • Private, travel focused

    Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, cholera, rabies pre exposure, TBE, Japanese encephalitis, yellow fever. Country by country risk assessment against NaTHNaC Travel Health Pro.

  • Catch up per the Green Book

    Missed or partial schedule brought back on track using the UK Immunisation Handbook algorithms. Minimum intervals respected, live vaccines spaced or co administered as needed.

  • Second opinion vaccine review

    A specialist review of the Red Book and any overseas records, with a written plan you can share with your GP. Useful for children moving to the UK from abroad.

  • Flu outside the NHS cohort

    Quadrivalent injected or Fluenz nasal for children who fall outside the NHS 2 to 15 age band, or for parents wanting the family done together.

  • HPV for males (Gardasil 9)

    Nine valent HPV for boys who missed the school offer, or for young men outside the NHS cohort. Two doses under 15, three doses at 15 and over.

  • When NHS is genuinely the better route

    Your GP practice or health visitor should give the routine schedule. Private is for what the NHS does not cover, or for catch up when the school nurse cannot fit you in.

Safety and aftercare

What to expect afterwards, honestly.

Modern childhood vaccines are among the safest medicines in use. The things worth planning are contraindications, the observation period and what to do if there is a fever at home.

  • Anaphylaxis history is a firm contraindication

    A previous anaphylactic reaction to a vaccine or a component (gelatin, neomycin, egg) rules out that vaccine.

  • Live vaccines and immunosuppression

    MMR, varicella, BCG, yellow fever and Fluenz are live and are avoided in children on chemotherapy, high dose steroids or biologics. Inactivated alternatives where available.

  • Egg allergy and flu, MMR, yellow fever

    MMR is safe in egg allergy. Flu injection is fine at low ovalbumin thresholds. Yellow fever needs a specialist risk benefit discussion and a hospital setting for severe egg allergy.

  • Fever and paracetamol after MenB

    Post MenB fever is common in infants. Prophylactic paracetamol at the correct weight dose is recommended. A written dosing chart is usually provided.

  • Injection site soreness

    Redness, swelling and tenderness for 24 to 48 hours are normal. Cool compress and simple analgesia. Persistent large swelling should be reviewed.

  • Fainting in teenagers

    Vasovagal fainting is common in adolescents, particularly for HPV. Seated administration and 15 minute observation reduce injury risk.

  • Red Book and GP notification

    Every dose is entered in the Red Book and, with your consent, notified to the GP so the NHS schedule and Child Health Information System stay accurate.

  • Cold chain matters

    Vaccines lose potency if stored outside 2 to 8 degrees C. Ask any provider how their fridge is monitored and what happens after a power cut.

  • When to call

    High fever over 39 degrees C not settling with paracetamol, difficulty breathing, facial swelling, a fit, or extreme drowsiness. Call 999 or the clinic emergency line the same day.

Reading your vaccination record

Your record in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whether the appointment was for a single travel vaccine or a full catch up, the record the clinician sends you keeps to the same shape.

A parent reviewing a child s Red Book and vaccination record with a UK GP

A quiet reminder

Vaccine names and brands can be confusing. Ask your clinician to explain the record in plain English.

If you would like the plan talked through before the appointment, just ask your clinician.

  1. 01 Header

    Child, weight, age and Red Book

    Name, date of birth, weight, existing vaccine history from the Red Book and any overseas records, allergies, and current medications.

  2. 02 Given

    Vaccine, batch, site and dose

    Product name, manufacturer, batch number, expiry, anatomical site (deltoid, vastus lateralis) and volume. Recorded in the Red Book and clinic notes.

  3. 03 Next steps

    Boosters, review and GP notification

    Read this first: when the next dose or booster is due, any post vaccination advice, and confirmation that a copy has been sent to your GP.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for childhood vaccinations varies by insurer and by indication. Travel vaccines are usually self pay; some policies cover HPV catch up.

Frequently asked

Common questions about private childhood vaccinations.

Quick answers on chickenpox, NHS versus private, travel timing and provider choice.

  • Which childhood vaccines are worth paying for privately in the UK?

    Chickenpox (two doses, about £90 to £150 total) is the most common request, since the NHS does not yet routinely offer it (the JCVI is moving that way in 2025). Adolescent MenB booster (Bexsero, £120 to £180), MenACWY booster before university, HPV Gardasil 9 catch up for older teenagers, and travel vaccines are the other main gaps. Everything on the NHS schedule should be given free by your GP or school nurse first.

  • How much do private childhood vaccinations cost in London?

    A vaccination review consultation is £45 to £120. Chickenpox is £45 to £85 per dose (two doses needed). MenB adolescent booster is £120 to £180. HPV Gardasil 9 is £150 to £220 per dose. A comprehensive travel package for a family trip runs £280 to £850 depending on destination and number of vaccines. Family flu (quadrivalent) is £15 to £30 per person.

  • What is the NHS childhood vaccination schedule?

    At 2, 3 and 4 months: 6 in 1 (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB), rotavirus, MenB and PCV. At 12 to 13 months: Hib/MenC, MMR, PCV and MenB booster. At 3 years 4 months: preschool 4 in 1 (DTaP/IPV) and MMR booster. At 12 to 13 years: HPV. At 14 years: 3 in 1 (Td/IPV) and MenACWY. Annual Fluenz nasal flu for age 2 to 15. Private is used only for what the NHS does not cover, or for catch up.

  • Should my child have the chickenpox vaccine privately?

    It is a reasonable choice, particularly if there is a vulnerable adult or newborn in the household, if your child has eczema, or if you want to reduce time off school and the small risk of complications. Two doses of Varilrix or Varivax, 4 to 6 weeks apart. The JCVI recommended adding it to the NHS schedule in 2023, so NHS availability may change during 2025 to 2026.

  • What should I look for in a private vaccination provider?

    SafeVac accreditation, GMC or NMC registered clinicians, documented cold chain (2 to 8 degrees C fridge monitoring), 15 minute post vaccination observation with adrenaline on site, informed consent, a Red Book entry and, with your consent, notification of your GP. Avoid providers who cannot show you their fridge audit or who skip the observation period.

  • Do I need travel vaccines for my child s trip abroad?

    Depends on destination, activities and length of stay. Hepatitis A and typhoid cover most of South East Asia, the Indian subcontinent and parts of Africa. Yellow fever is required (with a certificate) for entry to several countries. Rabies pre exposure is worth considering for remote travel, cycling trips or long stays. Book at least 6 to 8 weeks before departure so multi dose courses can be completed.

Ready to book

A firm quote, a Green Book compliant catch up if needed, and a SafeVac clinic close to you. No pressure, no upsell.

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