May, June heatwaves caused 2,877 extra deaths in England: Government

LONDON - Record-breaking heatwaves in May and June led to an estimated 2,877 excess deaths in England, the UK Health Security Agency said on July 29.

The provisional figure is almost double the total for the whole of the summer in 2025, which was 1,504, and represents “a substantial public health impact,” the UKHSA government agency said.

“These figures highlight the significant danger that very hot weather can pose to people’s health”, said Ross Thompson, principal environmental public health scientist at the UKHSA.

Health minister Yvette Cooper said the United Kingdom is accustomed to higher rates of illness in winter, but “now we are seeing the summer heat have an increasingly serious impact on the health of thousands of people”.

The latest figure does not take into account the current month of July, which has also seen a prolonged heatwave, and the UKHSA said the total for the summer “is likely to be substantially higher”.

“Based on the interim data, it is likely that 2026 could see the highest number of heat-associated deaths on record,” it said.

The excess mortality figure is calculated by comparing average numbers of deaths on days when the temperature exceeds 20 deg C with average numbers on cooler days.

In May there were 753 extra deaths and in June, when there was a rare red heat warning, there were 2,124.

The UKSHA stressed the need for communities and services to prepare for hot weather from the start of summer rather than just at its height.

The record mortality figure for a whole summer was set in 2022, when 2,985 deaths associated with heat were recorded.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC), the body responsible for advising the government on climate change, warned in 2025 the UK was “not ready” to deal with the consequences of climate change.

In a report published in May, it estimated 92 per cent of British homes could be too hot by 2050, and recommended the government set maximum temperature limits in the workplace, as well as investing in air conditioning for public buildings such as hospitals and schools. AFP