Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency updated England’s bird flu situation on 24 November 2025, confirming the 3km protection zone around premises near Bedale, Thirsk and Malton (AIV 2025/68) has been revoked, with the area absorbed into the surrounding surveillance zone. Great Britain remains within an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) and, under World Organisation for Animal Health rules, the UK is not currently classified as free from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Further confirmations have been recorded this month. On 23 November, HPAI H5N1 was confirmed at a second large commercial site near Swaffham in Norfolk and at commercial premises near Gainsborough in Lincolnshire. On 21 November a case was confirmed near Claydon in Suffolk; on 19 November near Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and on 18 November in a fourth large unit near Milford Haven in Pembrokeshire and in a small backyard flock near Lawshall in Suffolk. For each infected premises, a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone was declared and affected birds will be humanely culled. Protection zones around two premises near Penrith, Cumbria, have ended following surveillance.
Mandatory housing applies within the AIPZ in England from 00:01 on 6 November 2025 and in Wales from 00:01 on 13 November 2025. In England, keepers with more than 50 birds must house them; keepers with fewer than 50 birds do not have to house if birds and products are for personal use only; however, those with fewer than 50 who sell or give away eggs, products or live birds must house them, as these birds are treated as ‘poultry’. The Welsh declaration sets comparable biosecurity requirements and housing thresholds.
Movement controls are in force in disease zones. Movements of poultry, other captive birds, eggs, poultry products and mammals to or from premises where birds are kept are generally prohibited unless covered by a Defra general licence or an approved specific licence. Available general licences include provisions for carcass disposal, litter and manure, egg movements and poultry meat originating in protection zones. Guidance on meat from protection zones was updated on 21 November 2025; where movements are permitted, a dedicated identification mark must accompany the meat through processing and distribution.
Rules differ by zone type. In 3km protection zones, kept birds must be housed, movements of birds and eggs usually require licensing, litter and slurry cannot be spread or removed, and carcass disposal must follow veterinary inspector instructions. In 10km surveillance zones, record-keeping is mandatory and movements of birds and certain mammals require licensing, with similar restrictions on litter and slurry. Where a Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zone is declared, housing and record-keeping apply. Disease control zones remain until revoked by further declaration following completion of control and surveillance activities.
Risk assessments have been tightened. APHA rates the risk of H5 in wild birds as very high. Exposure risk for kept birds is very high where biosecurity is suboptimal and medium, with high uncertainty, where stringent measures are applied consistently. The UK Health Security Agency advises the risk to the general public remains very low, and the Food Standards Agency assesses the food safety risk as very low; properly cooked poultry and eggs remain safe to eat.
Wild bird management continues to focus on surveillance and hygiene. Members of the public can report dead wild birds via GOV.UK, while weekly findings and interactive maps track detections. The mitigation strategy for England and Wales aims to reduce impacts on wild bird populations while protecting public health and the rural economy. Within the AIPZ it is not permitted to feed wild gamebirds within 500 metres of premises housing more than 500 birds; garden feeding is permitted with strict hygiene, and contact with dead or sick wild birds should be avoided.
Influenza of avian origin in mammals is notifiable in both wild and kept mammals. Veterinary professionals and laboratories must report suspected cases or evidence of influenza A virus or antibodies immediately to APHA using the published numbers for England and Wales, or the local Field Services Office in Scotland. Failure to report is an offence.
Vaccination is restricted. In England, vaccination against bird flu is not permitted for poultry or most other captive birds. Zoo birds may be vaccinated where eligibility is met and authorisation is granted by APHA. Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate continue to monitor vaccine development through the avian influenza vaccination taskforce.
The statutory basis for current measures includes the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006, the Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) (England) Order 2006, the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, and subsequent Exotic Animal Disease amendment orders up to 2024. These instruments provide powers for zoning, movement controls, cleansing and disinfection, approved disinfectants and vaccination controls.
For poultry businesses and smallholders, immediate priorities include confirming the applicable zone using Defra’s online map, implementing or maintaining housing plans that protect welfare, refreshing site biosecurity (including foot dips and controlled access), ensuring record-keeping meets AIPZ and zone requirements, and reviewing supply chains where poultry meat identification marks or egg movement licences are needed. Event organisers should assume poultry gatherings are unavailable in areas where housing is mandated and ensure any gatherings of other captive birds meet licence conditions and APHA notification requirements.
For the 2025 to 2026 season to date, the UK has recorded 52 confirmed HPAI H5N1 cases: 41 in England, 7 in Wales, 1 in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland. Summaries are updated as APHA confirms new cases and zones are lifted following disease control activities.
Bird gatherings operate under strict licensing. Outside disease control zones, organisers may apply for a specific licence for poultry gatherings; gatherings of other captive birds may proceed under the general licence subject to conditions and seven days’ notification to APHA. In any part of the AIPZ where housing is required, most poultry gatherings are not permitted.