How do I cancel my Covid vaccine? Ways to change your jab appointment booking explained

The UK’s Covid vaccination programme rollout is continuing to quickly progress, with more than 62 million jabs having now been administered.

But how do you change or cancel your appointment if you can no longer make it?

Here’s what you need to know.

How do I book an appointment?

You can only currently book your Covid jab in England if any of the following apply:

- you're aged 30 or over

- you'll turn 30 before 1 July 2021

- you're at high risk from COVID-19 (clinically extremely vulnerable)

- you have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)

- you have a learning disability

- you're a frontline health or social care worker

-you get a Carer's Allowance, get support following an assessment by your local

- authority or your GP record shows you're a carer

If you're an eligible unpaid carer but you cannot book an appointment, speak to your GP surgery.

To book your appointments, you need to:

- have 2 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine at 2 appointments

- book both appointments at the same time

- get the 2nd dose 8 to 12 weeks after getting your 1st dose

In Scotland, the NHS will be in touch with you to arrange your vaccination appointment when you are eligible.

If you think you should have received a letter by now with details of either your first or second dose, call the national Covid-19 vaccination helpline on 0800 030 8013. You can also report your missing appointment online.

In Wales, when it is your turn to receive the vaccine, you will be contacted directly by the NHS. You may be contacted by either telephone or letter.

If eligible you can book your Covid jab online if you live in Northern Ireland,

How do I change or cancel my appointment?

In England, if you already have appointments booked online, you can view, cancel and rebook them using the online system.

You will be asked some questions first so that the system can find your bookings.

The NHS are also contacting some people in high-risk groups directly in order to offer earlier appointments for their second dose of the Covid vaccine.

You should wait to be contacted if you think you're in this group. If you've been contacted and you'd like to rebook, then you'll need to cancel your existing appointment before you are offered new appointments.

In Scotland, you can change or cancel your appointment on the website.

Although NHS Scotland strongly recommends you get the coronavirus vaccine when offered it, if you decide to completely opt-out of getting the vaccine, you will need to contact your NHS health board using the appropriate contact details on the website.

You will then be removed from the vaccination programme and will receive no further invitations to attend vaccination appointments.

However, if you change your mind after opting-out and want to get the vaccine, phone the appropriate number using the details in the guide.

In Wales, if your appointment is at a Mass Vaccination Centre, then you should contact the booking centre via the number noted on your appointment letter if you cannot make your appointment or do not want the vaccine.

If your appointment is at your GP practice, then you will need to contact the practice itself to rearrange or cancel.

In Northern Ireland, if you wish to cancel your appointment online then you will need your date of birth and a mobile number or email address so that your identity can be confirmed.

It’s worth noting that if you cancel your first vaccination appointment then your second appointment will also be cancelled. This is because your appointments are made ten weeks apart and are linked.

When you are ready, you can then use the online booking system to rebook your vaccination.

If you want to cancel your second appointment you will need to call the vaccination centre where you had your first appointment to rebook.

If you want to change the date or time of either of your appointments you can ring the vaccination centre where you booked.