Bird flu in England: AIPZ rules, zones and reporting

Let’s get you up to speed. If you keep birds in England - from a few hens at home to a college flock - Great Britain remains in an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ). In England there are extra housing rules on top of strict biosecurity. GOV.UK last updated the situation on 26 February 2026. (gov.uk)

What changed this week? On 26 February 2026 the 3km protection zone around a premises near Needham Market in Suffolk ended and the area became part of the surveillance zone. Earlier in the week, 10km surveillance zones near Dereham (Norfolk) and Newark‑on‑Trent (Nottinghamshire) were revoked, with further revocations noted between 22 and 20 February including sites near York and Newington (Kent). Always check the live map before moving birds or products. (gov.uk)

Quick explainer: the AIPZ is a countrywide measure for Great Britain that sets baseline biosecurity rules. In England right now there are mandatory housing measures in parts of the AIPZ. If you keep 50 or more birds, you must house them. If you keep fewer than 50 for your own use only, you do not have to house them. If you keep fewer than 50 but sell or give away eggs, products or live birds, you must house them because they count as ‘poultry’. (gov.uk)

Zones, simply put: an AIPZ applies across a wide area, but disease control zones are placed around confirmed or suspected cases. For highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), authorities typically put a 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone around the infected premises; for low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI), they may set a 1km restricted zone. Zones can be larger if needed and only lift when all control and surveillance work is complete. (gov.uk)

What the 3km protection zone means for your day‑to‑day. You must keep poultry and other captive birds housed, follow instructions from inspectors on disposing of carcases, and you cannot spread or remove poultry litter, manure or slurry. Moving birds, eggs or poultry meat is generally not allowed without a licence. Plan ahead and speak to your vet and APHA if you think you need movement permissions. (gov.uk)

What the 10km surveillance zone means. You should keep detailed records of all poultry and egg movements, and you cannot move poultry, other captive birds or mammals to or from premises where birds are kept without a licence, with limited pet exemptions. Spreading or removing litter, manure or slurry is also restricted. Bird gatherings are not allowed inside disease control zones. (gov.uk)

Your legal reporting duty. If you suspect bird flu in poultry or other captive birds - even if signs are mild - you or your vet must report it immediately to APHA. Call 03000 200 301 in England, 03003 038 268 in Wales, or your local Field Services Office in Scotland. Bird flu is a notifiable disease; not reporting it is breaking the law. (gov.uk)

Events and shows. Outside disease control zones, you can hold a gathering of psittaciformes (parrots and similar), birds of prey and racing pigeons if you meet the conditions of the general licence and notify APHA at least seven days in advance. If your event includes poultry or certain other captive birds, you must apply for a specific licence, and gatherings are not permitted inside protection or surveillance zones. (gov.uk)

Feeding and fieldcraft. You can feed wild birds, but hygiene matters: keep feeders clean and wash hands after use. If you keep or feed game birds in an AIPZ, do it at least 500 metres from any premises with more than 500 kept birds, and keep stations clean and covered to reduce contamination. If you find dead wild birds, do not touch them - report them via the GOV.UK service. (gov.uk)

The numbers this season help you teach and plan. From 1 October 2025 to the latest update, the UK has confirmed 94 HPAI H5N1 cases in kept birds: 74 in England, 9 in Scotland, 7 in Wales and 4 in Northern Ireland. One LPAI case has been recorded. The UK is therefore not considered free from HPAI under WOAH rules this season. (gov.uk)

Risk picture at a glance. The risk of HPAI H5 in wild birds in Great Britain is assessed as very high. For kept birds, the risk of exposure is high where biosecurity is poor and medium where strong biosecurity is maintained. UKHSA says the risk to the general public’s health is very low, and the Food Standards Agency rates the food safety risk very low - properly cooked poultry and eggs remain safe to eat. (gov.uk)

Vaccines: what’s allowed. You cannot vaccinate poultry or most captive birds against bird flu in England. Vaccination is permitted for zoo birds only, subject to eligibility and APHA authorisation, and it is not currently permitted for zoo birds in Scotland or Wales. Government and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate continue to track vaccine development and policy. (gov.uk)

What this means for your week. Check the disease zone map, then read the zone declaration that applies to you. Review housing, cleanliness and record‑keeping; if you need to move birds, eggs or manure, find out whether a licence is required and apply in good time. Sign up for APHA disease alerts and contact Trading Standards if you believe rules are being ignored locally. (gov.uk)

Two quick scenarios we hear often. “I have 12 hens and give the eggs to friends - do I have to house them?” Yes: if you sell or give away eggs, products or live birds, those birds are treated as poultry and must be housed while the housing measures apply in England. “Can I run a small show with parrots and falcons?” Possibly, if you’re outside a disease control zone, you meet the general licence conditions and you notify APHA seven days in advance. (gov.uk)