Moving from the UK to Australia: your child's vaccinations
The UK and Australian schedules cover mostly the same diseases, but Australia gives some vaccines at different ages, includes a few the UK doesn't, and links vaccination to childcare and family payments. The most important step: get your child's UK record onto the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Childcare and family payments
- No Jab No Play. Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia require children to be up to date (or on an approved catch-up schedule) to enrol in childcare or kindergarten. The ACT, Tasmania and the Northern Territory have no enrolment rule, but unvaccinated children can be kept home during an outbreak.
- No Jab No Pay. To get Family Tax Benefit Part A supplements and Child Care Subsidy, your child must meet the immunisation requirements.
- In both cases, the AIR is what counts.
Getting UK doses onto the AIR
- A GP or other vaccination provider adds overseas vaccinations to your child's AIR record.
- Bring the red book (Personal Child Health Record) or a GP printout showing vaccine names and dates.
- Catch-up vaccines on the National Immunisation Program are free for everyone under 20.
Key differences at a glance
| UK (NHS) | Australia (NIP) | |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis B birth dose | Only for at-risk babies | Yes |
| 6-in-1 | 8, 12, 16 weeks (+18 months for children born from July 2024) | 2, 4, 6 months |
| Meningococcal B | 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 1 year | Not national. Free in Queensland and South Australia |
| Meningococcal ACWY | Around 14 | 12 months and 14–16 years |
| MMR / chickenpox | Depends on birth date (see below) | MMR at 12 months, MMRV at 18 months |
| 18-month boosters | Only for children born from July 2024 | DTaP, Hib and MMRV |
| Flu | Nasal spray yearly from age 2 | Free yearly from 6 months to under 5 |
| Pre-school booster | 3 years 4 months | 4 years |
| Teens | HPV ~12–13, Td-IPV + MenACWY ~14 | HPV + Tdap ~12–13, MenACWY ~14–16 |
Which UK schedule your child had
- Born before September 2022: MMR at 1 year and 3 years 4 months. No chickenpox vaccine.
- Born September 2022 – June 2024: MMR at 1 year, MMRV at 3 years 4 months.
- Born July – December 2024: MMR at 1 year, MMRV at 18 months and 3 years 4 months, and a 4th 6-in-1 at 18 months.
- Born from January 2025: MMRV at 1 year and 18 months, 4th 6-in-1 at 18 months.
What your child may need after the move
- MenACWY. UK toddlers don't get it, so expect a catch-up dose. It's free.
- Chickenpox if your child was born before September 2022. Free catch-up up to age 20.
- 18-month boosters (DTaP, Hib) if your child was born before July 2024. Hib catch-up stops at age 5.
- Flu every year for under-5s, free.
- MenB: your child likely had it in the UK. Nothing extra needed.
How VaxFile helps
Log your child's UK doses (or scan the red book), switch the country to Australia, and see what's still due on the Australian schedule. Export a PDF to take to the GP visit where the doses go onto the AIR.
Sources: Australian Government, catch-up immunisation eligibility · NCIRS, No Jab No Play / No Jab No Pay · Australian Government, flu vaccine for children · HealthyWA, children moving from overseas · Queensland Health MenB program · SA Health MenB program
This page compares the UK schedule with the Australian National Immunisation Program, for information only. It isn't medical advice. Your GP decides which vaccines your child needs.
Last checked against the official sources: October 2026.