UK bird flu AIPZ housing rules and cases Nov 2025

Here’s the plain‑English update on bird flu (avian influenza) for students, teachers and anyone who keeps birds. As of Monday 24 November 2025, Great Britain remains in an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone. Defra has mandatory housing measures in England from 6 November 2025 and the Welsh Government has housing from 13 November 2025. These measures sit alongside strict hygiene and biosecurity rules to stop the virus spreading.

AIPZ housing rules in one place: if you keep more than 50 birds, you must house them. If you keep fewer than 50 birds for your own use only, you do not have to house them. If you keep fewer than 50 birds but sell or give away eggs, bird products or live birds, you must house them because they are treated as ‘poultry’ under the rules. Scotland is part of the AIPZ for biosecurity; check Scottish Government updates for any housing requirements where you are.

The latest situation this week: on 24 November the protection zone around a premises near Bedale, Thirsk and Malton (AIV 2025/68) ended after disease control and surveillance; that area now forms part of the surrounding surveillance zone. On 23 November, HPAI H5N1 was confirmed at a second large commercial site near Swaffham, Breckland, Norfolk (AIV 2025/109) and at commercial premises near Gainsborough, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire (AIV 2025/110). On 21 November, a case was confirmed near Claydon, Mid Suffolk (AIV 2025/108), and on 19 November, near Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire. On 18 November, Wales confirmed H5N1 at a large unit near Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire (AIV 2025/105), and England confirmed the virus in a small backyard flock near Lawshall, Babergh, Suffolk (AIV 2025/106). Protection zones have also ended near Penrith, Cumbria (AIV 2025/65 and AIV 2025/69), with those areas now within surveillance zones. Where HPAI is confirmed, the Animal and Plant Health Agency humanely culls poultry on the affected premises.

What the zones mean when you read the map: an infected premises triggers a 3km protection zone and a wider 10km surveillance zone. Inside these zones there are movement restrictions and enhanced biosecurity checks. You should check the bird flu disease zone map on GOV.UK, follow the rules for your location, and apply for a movement licence before moving poultry, eggs, by‑products or certain mammals where required. When a protection zone ends, it does not immediately return to normal; it becomes part of the surveillance zone until authorities lift it.

How many cases so far this season: the 2025 to 2026 outbreak season runs from 1 October to 30 September. The first HPAI H5N1 case this season was confirmed in Northern Ireland on 9 October, in England on 11 October, in Wales on 25 October and in Scotland on 12 November. To date there have been 52 confirmed UK cases: 41 in England, 7 in Wales, 1 in Scotland and 3 in Northern Ireland. Under World Organisation for Animal Health rules, the UK is not currently free from highly pathogenic avian influenza.

Looking back helps you read the trend. Previous seasons recorded 158 HPAI cases in 2021 to 2022, 207 in 2022 to 2023, 6 in 2023 to 2024 and 81 in 2024 to 2025, with one LPAI case in both 2022 to 2023 and 2024 to 2025. In class, ask why the numbers vary so much year to year and explore the explanations found in Animal and Plant Health Agency outbreak reports.

Your risk questions answered: UK Health Security Agency says the risk to the general public’s health is very low. The Food Standards Agency says the food safety risk is very low and properly cooked poultry and eggs remain safe to eat. For keepers, Defra assesses the risk to poultry as very high where biosecurity is suboptimal and medium-occurs regularly-where stringent biosecurity is applied consistently.

Biosecurity in practice, the short version you can teach: keep wild birds away from feed and water, clean and disinfect housing and equipment, limit unnecessary visitors, and follow Defra’s step‑by‑step guidance before moving birds or products. If you are unsure whether a movement needs permission, check the licence rules on GOV.UK and apply before you move anything.

Wild birds and your role: do not touch or move dead or sick wild birds; report them through the GOV.UK service so surveillance teams can sample and track the virus. You can feed garden birds, but wash hands with soap and water afterwards and keep feeders and water baths clean, following advice from the British Trust for Ornithology. If you are in an AIPZ, do not feed wild gamebirds within 500 metres of any premises with more than 500 birds.

Mammals and reporting duties: avian‑origin influenza can infect wild and kept mammals and is notifiable. If, during examination or testing, you suspect or detect influenza A virus, or antibodies to it, you must report immediately. In England call 03000 200 301; in Wales call 03003 038 268; in Scotland contact your local Field Services Office. Not reporting is an offence.

Bird gatherings and shows are tightly controlled. If you are outside a disease control zone in England you may apply for a specific licence for poultry gatherings, or rely on the general licence for other captive birds, but gatherings of most types of poultry are not allowed in AIPZ areas where housing is mandatory. Always check the latest licence conditions on GOV.UK before planning an event.

Vaccination policy at a glance: you cannot vaccinate poultry or most captive birds against bird flu in England. Zoos may vaccinate eligible birds only with authorisation from the Animal and Plant Health Agency. Defra continues to fund research and, with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, monitor vaccine development; details are on GOV.UK alongside the avian influenza vaccination taskforce’s work.

Reading the official maps and case pages with your class: start by locating your area, then identify whether you are inside a protection or surveillance zone. Use the GOV.UK case pages to check dates, premises type and zone status changes-such as the recent ends of protection zones near Penrith and around Bedale, which then moved into surveillance. Ask students to explain, in their own words, what restrictions each zone implies.

Where the powers come from, so you can teach the civics angle: Defra acts under the Contingency Plan for Exotic Notifiable Diseases and the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy, supported by legislation including the Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) Orders and subsequent amendments, plus the Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) Orders. The legal texts and updates are published on legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK.

Three practical next steps we recommend: check the disease zone map and note your status today; read the zone rules that apply to you and write a short summary; list the hygiene actions you will take this week and set a reminder to review them. If you keep birds and notice signs of disease, report them immediately through the GOV.UK service. If you see dead wild birds, use the reporting service rather than handling them.

If you prefer to learn live, the ‘Stop the Spread’ webinars on GOV.UK walk through biosecurity do’s and don’ts for pet owners, backyard keepers and commercial flocks. They make a strong classroom resource too-watch a session, pause for questions, then compare the advice to the rules in your local zone.