England bird flu update: AIPZ housing rules Dec 2025
Here’s the situation this week. Defra’s update on 19 December 2025 confirms the protection zone near Feltwell, Norfolk has ended and merged into the wider surveillance zone. On 18 December, H5N1 was confirmed in a large commercial flock near Brockworth, Gloucestershire; Scotland reported a case near Penicuik the same day. Standard controls apply: humane culling at infected sites and 3km protection and 10km surveillance zones around them.
In plain English: Great Britain remains in an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone. England has mandatory housing from 6 November 2025 and Wales from 13 November 2025. If you keep 50 or more birds you must house them; if you keep fewer than 50 for your own use only, housing is not required; but if you sell or give away eggs, birds or products, those birds are treated as ‘poultry’ and must be housed.
Zones matter for everyday decisions. A protection zone is a 3km radius with the tightest movement controls; a surveillance zone is 10km with enhanced checks. Before moving birds, eggs, litter or pets, check the official disease zone map and whether you need a licence; apply before you travel if one is required.
Quick Q&A for class or farm noticeboards: What is H5N1? It’s a strain of avian influenza affecting birds, with confirmed cases in kept flocks this season. Are people at risk? UKHSA says the risk to the general public is very low. Is food safe? The Food Standards Agency says properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat.
What this means in practice for biosecurity: house birds where required, keep feed and water under cover, clean footwear at the door and use dedicated clothing for the coop. Keep a simple log of visitors and any sudden changes in egg production or feed and water intake, and report suspected disease promptly. These steps reduce the chance of the virus entering your flock.
For small flocks and school farms: if you keep fewer than 50 birds purely for your household, housing isn’t required under AIPZ rules, but strong biosecurity still is. If you sell or give away eggs or live birds, you’re classed as keeping poultry and must house them. If you’re unsure, read the AIPZ declaration and use the official map to confirm what applies locally.
Bird shows and races are not business as usual. If you are outside a disease control zone, gatherings of racing pigeons, birds of prey and psittacine birds can operate under a general licence, while other gatherings need a specific licence. Always check the latest licence conditions before organising or attending an event.
About vaccines: you cannot vaccinate poultry or most captive birds against bird flu in England. Zoos with a current licence can apply for authorisation to vaccinate eligible birds, and Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate continue to monitor vaccine development.
Wild birds are part of the picture. Do not touch or move sick or dead wild birds; report them using the official service. If you feed garden birds, keep feeders and water baths clean and avoid sites close to large poultry premises. The interactive map and dashboard are useful for lessons on migration, mortality and local detections.
Don’t forget mammals. Avian influenza of avian origin can infect wild and kept mammals and is notifiable. If you examine a mammal or test samples and suspect influenza of avian origin, or detect influenza A virus or antibodies, you must report immediately: call 03000 200 301 in England, 03003 038 268 in Wales, or your local Field Services Office in Scotland. It’s a legal duty.
Season snapshot for 2025–26 so far: 70 confirmed H5N1 cases across the UK-57 in England, 7 in Wales, 4 in Northern Ireland and 2 in Scotland. The outbreak year runs from 1 October to 30 September; recent seasons recorded 81 cases in 2024–25, six in 2023–24, 207 in 2022–23 and 158 in 2021–22. Under WOAH rules, the UK is not currently free from HPAI.
Classroom quick-check you can use today: What’s a protection zone and how big is it? A 3km radius around an infected premises with the strictest controls. What’s a surveillance zone? A 10km radius with broader movement rules and monitoring. Why are some zones revoked? Once cleansing and surveillance are complete, officials can lift restrictions.
Next steps for keepers and educators: check the disease map before any movement, use the GOV.UK guidance on spotting and reporting disease, and consider APHA’s ‘stop the spread’ webinars. If your school runs a small flock, build a simple AIPZ checklist with pupils and review it weekly. If you see signs of disease, report straight away.