England’s housing order for birds remains in force to slow the spread of H5N1. As at 24 November 2025, officials report 52 confirmed cases this season across the UK, including 41 in England, one in Scotland, seven in Wales and three in Northern Ireland. The measures aim to protect flocks, wildlife and rural jobs as the winter risk period intensifies.

Defra’s latest updates show fresh cases in Norfolk and Lincolnshire on 23 November, following confirmations in Mid Suffolk (21 November), East Riding of Yorkshire (19 November) and, earlier in the week, Pembrokeshire and Suffolk (18 November). Standard controls apply: 3km protection zones, 10km surveillance zones and humane culling on infected premises.

Risk remains sharply skewed towards wild birds. APHA assesses the risk of H5 in wild birds in Great Britain as very high. For kept birds, exposure is very high where biosecurity is weak and medium where stringent measures are maintained consistently. That gap is where outbreaks can be prevented.

What the housing rules mean for daily routines is straightforward. In England, keepers with more than 50 birds must house them; those with fewer than 50 for personal use are not required to house; if you sell or give away eggs, meat or live birds, you are classed as poultry and must house. Check the official disease-control map before movements, as zones can change quickly.

Biosecurity is now the make-or-break factor for winter. Keep feed and water under cover, fence off standing water, use foot-dips at every entrance, dedicate boots and clothing to each house, and record any dip in egg output, feed or water intake. Clean and disinfect housing and hard standings on a rolling schedule, manage pests, and keep a simple visitor and vehicle log. These steps align with AIPZ requirements and cut the chance a wild-bird introduction becomes a flock-level incident.

For land managers and birdwatchers, the real-time wild bird dashboards and weekly updates are essential. APHA added week 47 data on 24 November, and the interactive maps show where carcasses have tested positive. Do not touch dead or sick wild birds-report them-and, if you feed garden birds, clean feeders and bird baths regularly, as advised by the British Trust for Ornithology. Within an AIPZ you cannot feed wild gamebirds within 500m of premises with more than 500 captive birds.

Public health guidance remains reassuring. UKHSA continues to advise that the risk to the general public is very low, and the Food Standards Agency says properly cooked poultry and eggs are safe to eat. Follow routine kitchen hygiene and cook poultry products thoroughly; these practices inactivate avian influenza viruses.

Spillover to mammals is monitored closely. Influenza of avian origin in mammals is notifiable in Great Britain and must be reported immediately if suspected or detected, with APHA triaging cases. Recent reporting has included findings in non‑avian wildlife, and APHA has also documented a March 2025 case in a domestic sheep linked to an infected premises.

Events bring extra risk. Outside disease control zones, pigeon shows and gatherings of other captive birds can go ahead if organisers meet licence conditions and notify APHA. Most poultry gatherings are not permitted in areas where housing is mandatory under the AIPZ. If in doubt, check your zone and read the licence conditions before planning an event.

Vaccination policy has not changed: you cannot vaccinate poultry or most captive birds in England. Zoos may vaccinate specific birds only with APHA authorisation. Defra and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate continue to track vaccine development while focusing on biosecurity and rapid control to protect both flocks and wildlife.

This season’s case total sits in the context of four volatile years: 81 confirmed cases in 2024/25, six in 2023/24, 207 in 2022/23 and 158 in 2021/22. Under World Organisation for Animal Health rules, the UK is not considered free from highly pathogenic avian influenza this season. That status underscores the need for consistent, simple controls across farms and reserves.

The next seven days are about rhythm and readiness. Keepers should test foot-dips daily, review netting and doors for gaps, refresh rodent control, and document egg and feed trends. Land managers can refresh signage, coordinate carcass reporting routes, and brief volunteers. Garden feeders deserve a weekly scrub. Small, regular habits are what spare flocks, seabird colonies and rural incomes through winter.