Bird flu: avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) (England)
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-04)

England is in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ).

All of England is in an avian influenza prevention zone (AIPZ) with mandatory biosecurity measures (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-flu-avian-influenza-how-to-prevent-it-and-stop-it-spreading). You may also have to house your birds.

Case information

AIPZ housing measures: 6 November 2025

In the AIPZ in England there are mandatory housing measures which mean you may have to house your birds.

If you have more than 50 birds you must house them. This applies to all types of birds.

If you keep less than 50 birds and they are for your own use only (for example you do not sell or give away their eggs or meat), you do not have to house them.

If you keep less than 50 birds but you do sell or give away their eggs, poultry products or live birds, you must house them. These birds are known as ‘poultry’.

You can read more information on the requirements for certain types of bird in the latest declaration.

Past updates

30 October 2025

From 00:01am on Thursday 30 October, there are some areas of the AIPZ in England where you must house your birds if you keep either:
- more than 50 birds
- any number of poultry (meaning birds that are kept to give away or sell eggs, poultry products or live birds)
You do not have to house your birds if you keep less than 50 birds and their eggs or poultry products are for your own use only.

These additional housing measures apply in the high-risk counties listed below to help protect your birds from bird flu:
- Cheshire
- Cumbria
- Derbyshire
- Durham
- East Riding of Yorkshire
- Greater Manchester
- Lancashire
- Leicestershire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Norfolk
- North Yorkshire
- Northumberland
- Nottinghamshire
- Rutland
- Shropshire
- South Yorkshire
- Staffordshire
- Suffolk
- Tyne and Wear
- West Yorkshire
Check what zone you’re in on the bird flu disease zone map (https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d) and prepare to house your birds safely (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-flu-avian-influenza-housing-your-birds-safely). A full list of local authority areas is detailed in annex 1 of the declaration.

22 September 2025

The AIPZ with mandatory biosecurity measures in England has been updated to include:
- further clarity on the biosecurity measures for game bird rearers and shoot operators
- enhanced reporting requirements for all bird keepers where there are changes in morbidity, mortality or a reduction in egg production or feed and water intake
26 August 2025

The AIPZ with mandatory biosecurity measures in England was updated to include additional biosecurity measures for game bird rearers and shoot operators.

12 May 2025

The AIPZ housing measures for poultry and captive birds were lifted across England from 00:01am on Thursday 15 May 2025. There was a 7 day transition period from 00:01am 15 May 2025 until 00:01am 22 May 2025 during which, where necessary, previously housed birds were required to be released gradually to minimise welfare issues.

7 April and amended 11 April 2025

The AIPZ housing measures were extended to cover County Durham, Cumbria, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear in addition to Cheshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, the East Riding of Yorkshire, Herefordshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, Suffolk, Shropshire, Worcestershire, York and North Yorkshire.

16 February 2025

The AIPZ housing measures were extended to cover Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire in addition to the East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.

27 January 2025

The AIPZ mandating enhanced biosecurity and housing for kept birds across East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk was extended to also include the unitary authorities of Shropshire, York and North Yorkshire.

25 January 2025

AIPZ without housing extended to cover the whole of England. Mandatory housing remains in force across East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston Upon Hull, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk.

23 December 2024

Regional AIPZ with mandatory biosecurity and housing measures declared in, the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire, the City of Kingston upon Hull and across all districts in Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

13 December 2024

Regional AIPZ without housing measures declared in the East Riding of Yorkshire, City of Kingston upon Hull, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Declarations

Download the Declaration of Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (England) – mandatory biosecurity and housing measures: 4 November 2025 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/690a33b014b040dfe82922c5/Declaration_of_an_Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone__England____mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures__4_November_2025_.pdf)

From 00:01 on Thursday 6 November 2025, this revokes and replaces:

Declaration of Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (England) – mandatory biosecurity and housing measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6900dec987219d3b21b9aa92/Declaration_of_an_Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone__England__-_mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures__28_October_.pdf)

From 00:01 on 30 October 2025, this revokes and replaces:

Download the declaration of an amended avian influenza prevention zone (England) – mandatory biosecurity measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68d12492275fc9339a248aea/Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_-_England_-_22_September_2025_Update.pdf)

From 12.00 on 26 August 2025, this revokes and replaces:

Download the declaration of an avian influenza prevention zone (England) – mandatory biosecurity measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68a58cd30e26ebf0d8fb10e1/Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_-_England_-_20_August_2025.pdf)

From 00:01am on 26 August 2025, this revokes and replaces the following declaration:

Declaration of an avian influenza prevention zone (England) – mandatory biosecurity with housing measures (PDF) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68222caec66deec8488f7f71/Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures_revocation_12_May_2025_coning_into_force_15-22_May.pdf)

This revokes and replaces the following declaration from 00:01 on 11 April 2025:

Amended declaration of an avian influenza prevention zone (England) - mandatory biosecurity with housing measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67f2e086d065389a655cf015/Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures_-_England_-_extension_20250407_amended_20250411.pdf)

This revokes and replaces the following declaration from 00:01 on 7 April 2025:

Declaration of an avian influenza prevention zone (England) - mandatory biosecurity with housing measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67b0f2e22c594609b38ace5b/250215_Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures_-_England.pdf)

This revokes and replaces the following declaration from 00:01 on 16 February 2025:

Declaration of an avian influenza prevention zone (England) - mandatory biosecurity with housing measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6793db46c74f1dca7492f3b5/Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures-_England_-_20250123.pdf)

This revokes and replaces the following declaration from 00:01 on 27 January 2025:

Declaration of the regional avian influenza prevention zone (East of England) - mandatory biosecurity with housing measures (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6766747acdb5e64b69e309a8/Declaration_of_Regional_Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_and_housing_measures_-_East_of_England.pdf)

This revokes and replaces the following declaration from noon on 23 December 2024:

Declaration of the regional avian influenza prevention zone (East of England) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/675c5b61b745d5f7a053ef33/Avian_Influenza_Prevention_Zone_mandatory_biosecurity_-_East_of_England_20241213.pdf)

Get an exemption from housing measures

Keepers of anseriformes (such as ducks, geese, swans), ratites (such as ostriches and rheas) or poultry kept for restocking of game may be eligible for an exemption from AIPZ housing measures for welfare reasons.

Read guidance on housing your birds safely (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bird-flu-avian-influenza-housing-your-birds-safely).

You can use the example template to get an exemption from housing your birds (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d8450ad29c27fe69fe9335/Get_an_exemption_from_housing_your_birds_in_an_AIPZ_in_England.odt) in consultation with your veterinarian.

Further information

Check the updated bird flu disease control zone map (https://defra.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cb1883eda5547c6b91b5d5e6aeba90d).