The Local Government Association (LGA) is warning that falling childhood vaccination rates will not be reversed unless councils are given greater authority ahead of commissioning changes in 2027 to protect their local populations.
Measles cases in England have been rising since April 2025, with outbreaks seen in London and the West Midlands. Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that the UK had lost its measles elimination status due to the spread of cases.
Childhood MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox) vaccination coverage in England is below 85 per cent, substantially lower than the WHO target of 95 per cent.
There are stark gaps in uptake of the vaccine across the country. First-dose coverage varies by over 38 per cent between local authorities and there is a 15 per cent gap between the most and least deprived areas.
The decline is not confined to measles. First-dose uptake of other routine vaccines protecting against pneumonia, meningitis, polio, tetanus and other childhood illnesses has also fallen. Since 2020/21, no routine childhood vaccination programme in England has met the WHO coverage target.
Immunisation commissioning transfers from NHS England to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in April 2027. The LGA says this change risks uncertainty over where responsibility for vaccination sits locally and that this must be made simpler. Currently, it is shared between NHS England, UK Health Security Agency, ICBs and councils.
Reversing the decline will take sustained effort over several years, alongside clear local leadership, better data sharing and strong council-ICB partnership working.
With established trust, democratic accountability and convening relationships, councils are best placed to reach communities that miss out on vaccinations across the whole immunisation programme. It is a unique local position that national or regional commissioners cannot replicate.
As the LGA publishes a new vaccination guide for councils today, it is asking government to:
- Introduce a single named, accountable lead for vaccinations in every area.
- Ensure real-time, ward-level data on all routine vaccinations is shared with Directors of Public Health.
- Provide dedicated funding for councils’ vital role in vaccine outreach and community engagement.
- Retain local authority representation on ICBs.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said:
“England is seeing a concerning rise in measles cases while childhood vaccination rates fall across the board.
“Measles is entirely preventable. The fact that it continues to spread reflects a failure to ensure vaccines are accessible, particularly in some of our most deprived communities. This must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
“Councils will continue to provide trusted information to families and support communities that have concerns, so more children are protected.
“But falling childhood vaccination rates will not be reversed unless council Directors of Public Health have the data, the partnerships and the authority they need to meet their statutory duty and protect their populations.
"It must be clear who has overall oversight and accountability for vaccination in each local area. The 2027 commissioning transition must not leave councils out of the picture at precisely the moment local leadership is most needed."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
- Read the guide for councils: Strengthening Immunisation Services - A guide for councillors, officers and system partners
- UKHSA: Confirmed cases of measles: From January to July 2026 there were 933 measles cases, compared with 959 for the whole of 2025.
- UKHSA: Childhood vaccination coverage April 2026: Coverage of the first dose of the combined MMR/MMRV vaccine in England is 78.8 per cent for children aged 15 months. For the two-dose regimen by age five, coverage is at 84.1 per cent.
- UKHSA: Coverage of MMRV dose 1 cohort turning 15 months:
- coverage by local authority differed by 38.7 percentage points, from 55.2 per cent in Hackney and City of London to 93.9 per cent in Dorset.