This summer may witness over 5,000 fatalities due to extreme heat as temperatures are expected to surpass one of the deadliest heatwave seasons on record, according to experts. The Office for National Statistics has estimated that the hot weather in 2022 contributed to over 4,500 heat-related deaths. Projections indicate that this summer could be even hotter. The UK Health Security Agency issued three heat health alerts in June this year, compared to just one alert in June 2022. The ongoing summer has also recorded higher average temperatures than the same period last year.
Data from the Met Office reveals that the average maximum daily temperature in England in June 2025 was 21.9°C, up from 20°C in June 2022. Similarly, the average maximum daily temperatures for May 2025 were 1.2°C higher than in May 2022.
Moreover, there have been more extremely hot days this year, with 12 days exceeding 28°C in England by the end of June 2025, in contrast to only six days exceeding 28°C by the same time in 2022. Research indicates that death rates escalate significantly as temperatures rise above 27 degrees.
The Centre for Ageing Better has expressed deep concerns about the elevated heat health risk faced by older individuals, highlighting the poor-quality housing in the nation as a major contributing factor to this heightened risk in current and future summers.
Millie Brown, the Deputy Director of the organization, emphasized that the recent heatwave could become a common occurrence in the near future, as highlighted by the State of the UK Climate report. The aging population living in poorly insulated homes faces a heightened risk from increasingly hot summers. It is projected that heat-related deaths in the country could triple to 7,000 annually by the 2050s, with individuals aged 65 and above accounting for the majority of excess deaths.
Britain’s inadequately insulated housing stock poses challenges as these homes lose heat quickly in winter and struggle to keep heat out in summer. In a 30°C heat, the temperature within a UK home can rise by five degrees within three hours, double the rate of heat gain in other European regions. Approximately three million individuals aged 65 and above in the UK are at high risk due to living in properties between 45 and 80 years old.
Brown stressed the urgency to address the issue of poor-quality housing that puts lives at risk in extreme temperatures, advocating for better housing construction and retrofitting to ensure homes remain cool in summer and warm in winter. Providing access to information and guidance on addressing overheating issues in homes is essential. Measures to mitigate the impact of climate change should include building higher-quality homes that offer protection from extreme weather conditions and supporting individuals in improving their living conditions. The government is urged to address these challenges in its upcoming housing strategy.
