Meningitis B Vaccine in Surrey: The New Free NHS Jab for Students (2026)
There’s a new free NHS meningitis B jab for 2026. Who qualifies in Surrey, where to get it locally, and private MenB from £120 a dose at Miles Pharmacy if you’re not eligible.
If you’re heading to university this autumn from somewhere in Surrey — or you’re a parent helping sort it — there’s important news for 2026. The NHS has introduced a new, free meningitis B vaccine for school leavers and first-time university students, in direct response to recent meningitis outbreaks. For a lot of Surrey families, that means the jab you were about to pay for may now be free.
At Miles Pharmacy on 94 Chessington Road in West Ewell, we look after students, teenagers and adults from right across Epsom, Ewell and the wider Surrey area. This guide explains the new NHS programme, who qualifies, how to get it locally, and what your options are if you fall outside the criteria. If you’d like the full detail on the disease, the vaccines and private pricing, see our complete meningitis B guide for Epsom.
New 2026 NHS programme · Free for Year 13 leavers & first-time under-25 university starters · Two doses, first available from late July · MenACWY does not protect against MenB · Private MenB £120 a dose at Miles if you’re not eligible
The new NHS meningitis B programme, explained
In June 2026 the UK Health Security Agency announced a one-off, time-limited NHS meningitis B programme for the people at highest risk this autumn. It was brought in after recent meningitis outbreaks, while the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation reviews the wider evidence. The reasoning is stark: after infancy, the highest number of meningococcal cases are seen in 18- and 19-year-olds, and first-year university students carry a risk around seven times higher than young people of the same age who don’t go to university.
You qualify for the free NHS meningitis B vaccine if you’re in one of these groups:
- In school Year 13 in England this year (born between 1 September 2007 and 31 August 2008)
- An undergraduate fresher under 25 going to university for the first time in autumn 2026 — including international students
- Under 25 and moving into further education halls or residential accommodation for the first time this autumn
It’s a two-dose course. First doses are available from late July and second doses from August, with at least 28 days between them. Eligible people can get a first dose up to 31 December 2026 and a second dose up to 31 March 2027 — but the strong advice is not to wait, because it takes around six weeks from your first dose to full protection.
Having had the MenACWY jab in Year 9 or 10 does not protect you against meningitis B — it covers different strains. Even if you’re up to date with MenACWY, you still need the MenB vaccine for protection against this group.
Getting your free NHS MenB jab in Surrey
How you get it depends on which group you’re in. Young people in the Year 13 age group are contacted directly by the NHS and sent a link to book a pharmacy appointment. University and further education students who are eligible can arrange their vaccination at a participating community pharmacy.
That’s where we come in locally. Miles Pharmacy is offering the free NHS meningitis B vaccine to eligible students here in West Ewell, so you can get both doses close to home before you head off — no GP referral, no waiting list. Because it’s a two-dose course with a gap between, the sensible thing is to come in for your first dose as early in the summer as you can, so you’re fully protected well before the autumn term.
From first dose to full protection takes about six weeks. To be covered before freshers’ week, book your first dose early in the summer rather than in the final weeks before you move.
Studying in Surrey? It applies wherever you’re heading
Surrey sends thousands of young people into higher education every year, whether they’re staying local or moving across the country. The new NHS offer follows the student, not the campus — so it applies whether you’re starting at the University of Surrey in Guildford, Royal Holloway in Egham, the University for the Creative Arts here in Epsom, or a university hundreds of miles away.
The key thing is to be protected before you move into halls, which is exactly when and where the risk is highest. Getting it sorted at home in Surrey over the summer is far easier than trying to find a pharmacy and fit in two doses during a chaotic freshers’ week in a new city. If you’re a parent, this is an easy and important thing to tick off while your son or daughter is still at home.
If you’re not eligible: private MenB at Miles
The NHS programme is deliberately narrow — it targets the highest-risk groups only. Plenty of people who feel they “should” qualify don’t: returning and second-year students, postgraduates, anyone aged 25 or over, under-25s who aren’t going to university or moving into halls, younger teenagers, and anyone who misses the dates. If you want protection sooner than the NHS rollout, private vaccination is also an option.
For all of these, we offer private meningitis B vaccination at Miles. It’s £120 a dose, so £240 for the full two-dose course, with the same price for Bexsero or Trumenba and no separate consultation fee. There’s no GP wait — you book, come in, and our pharmacist takes care of it. You can read more about the vaccines we use and how the course works on our main guide, and there’s a student-focused version if that’s your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Is the meningitis B vaccine free in Surrey now?
For 2026 there’s a new one-off NHS programme that makes it free for Year 13 leavers and first-time under-25 university and further education students. If you’re in one of those groups you can get both doses free, including at participating local pharmacies. If you’re outside the criteria, you’d arrange it privately.
I’ve already had the MenACWY jab — am I covered?
No. MenACWY protects against different meningococcal groups and does not cover meningitis B. Even if you had MenACWY in school, you still need the MenB vaccine for protection against this group.
I’m going to university outside Surrey — can I still get it here?
Yes. The offer follows you, not the university, so you can get both doses at home in Surrey over the summer before you move — which is the ideal time to be protected.
I’m a returning or postgraduate student — do I qualify?
The NHS programme is aimed at first-time entrants under 25, so returning and postgraduate students usually aren’t covered. You’d arrange it privately with us at £120 a dose.
When should I book?
As early in the summer as you can. It’s a two-dose course and takes around six weeks from the first dose to full protection, so starting early means you’re covered comfortably before the autumn term.
Can I get the vaccine at Miles Pharmacy?
Yes — we offer the free NHS meningitis B vaccine to eligible students, and private vaccination for everyone else. Book online or call us on 020 8393 1000 if you’d like to talk it through first.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. NHS programme details are based on UK Health Security Agency guidance published in June 2026 and may be updated; check your eligibility when you’re contacted or speak to our pharmacist. Always read the patient information and discuss your circumstances with a healthcare professional.
