“We are now taking the difficult step to extend the housing measures to the whole of England,” UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said on 4 November. Two weeks on, fresh cases are landing across the North and coastal counties, tightening the rules for farms and smallholders alike.

On Sunday 16 November, H5N1 was confirmed at a large commercial poultry unit near Thorne, Doncaster. A 3km protection zone and a 10km surveillance zone are now in place, and all birds on the site will be humanely culled.

The Doncaster case follows a string of detections this past week: a large commercial unit near Swaffham in Norfolk on 15 November; a small backyard flock near Watton the same day; and ornamental captive birds near Dawlish in Devon. Earlier, commercial sites near Poringland in South Norfolk and near Woodbridge in Suffolk were confirmed, alongside a backyard flock at Gosforth in Cumberland and a commercial premises near Lanark in South Lanarkshire. Statutory disease controls are in force around each site.

As at 16 November, Defra’s running tally for the 2025/26 season lists 45 confirmed H5N1 cases: England 35, Scotland 1, Wales 6 and Northern Ireland 3. The first detections this season were recorded on 11 October in England, 25 October in Wales, 9 October in Northern Ireland and 12 November in Scotland. Under WOAH rules the UK is no longer free from HPAI.

Great Britain remains under an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone. In England, mandatory housing has applied since 6 November. Keepers with more than 50 birds must house them; so must those who sell or give away eggs or live birds. Smallholders with fewer than 50 birds for their own use only do not have to house, but strict biosecurity still applies.

For producers across Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and the North East, the routine is clear: keep feed and bedding under cover, disinfect footwear and equipment, limit visitors and vehicle movements, and step up vermin control. Movement of poultry, eggs and by‑products within zones needs a licence, so plan collections and deliveries with APHA early.

Bird gatherings are tightly restricted. Outside control zones, gatherings of non‑poultry captive birds can proceed under the general licence, while poultry gatherings require a specific licence. Where housing rules apply, most poultry gatherings are not permitted.

Risk levels have been raised again. Government scientists assess the risk of H5 in wild birds as very high. For poultry, the risk is very high where biosecurity is poor and medium-though with high uncertainty-where strong measures are kept up.

Public health agencies are clear. “The risk of avian flu to the general public remains very low,” says UKHSA. The Food Standards Agency advises properly cooked poultry and eggs remain safe to eat.

A practical note for the trade: free‑range poultry meat can retain its description during housing orders in England, removing the old 12‑week cut‑off that caused confusion and extra relabelling costs. The change is intended to reduce market disruption during outbreaks.

With migration in full swing, land managers and birders are urged not to touch sick or dead wild birds and to report findings. Garden feeding is fine-keep feeders and water baths clean-and in AIPZ areas do not feed wild gamebirds within 500 metres of premises with 500 or more birds.

For Northern keepers the ask is straightforward: check the Defra disease‑zone map, follow the rules that apply on your doorstep and act early if you spot symptoms. It’s a hard run‑in to Christmas for the region’s poultry sector, but tight biosecurity and good paperwork will keep flocks-and livelihoods-safer.