The NHS is urging three types of people to get the flu vaccine this winter . Generally, the flu vaccine is offered for free from the NHS every year throughout autumn and early winter, as this is when flu cases typically spike across the country. While flu is not usually life-threatening for most people and gets better on its own, it can be far more serious for some people. This is because certain people are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill if they become infected with the influenza