England saw 2,877 excess deaths associated with heatwaves during May and June 2026, according to UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. This total nearly doubled the 1,504 heat-related deaths recorded across the entire summer of 2025 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
The May heatwave, which lasted from May 24 to 27, caused approximately 753 excess deaths [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. A more severe heatwave from June 21 to 28 accounted for roughly 2,124 excess deaths and prompted unprecedented red heat-health alerts for three consecutive days—the second time England has ever issued such an alert [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8].
The heatwaves broke regional temperature records, with 31.5°C recorded at Kew Gardens on May 26 and peaking at 37.7°C in Lingwood, Norfolk on June 26 [7]. Based on interim data, UKHSA said it is likely 2026 will exceed the previous heat-related death record of 2,985 deaths set in 2022 [7].
Ross Thompson, UKHSA's Chief Environmental Public Health Scientist, said "these data highlight the serious risks heat poses to people's health" [5]. UK Health Minister Yvette Cooper noted that historically, excess deaths were higher in winter but summer heat is increasingly causing severe harm. She said, "The UK previously saw higher illness rates in winter, but now summer heat is causing growing health impacts for thousands" [2].
Heat-associated excess deaths are calculated by comparing average daily deaths on days above 20°C versus those below 20°C [3, 4, 8]. July 2026 also saw sustained heatwaves, but death data for that month are not yet included; UKHSA expects the total heat-related death toll for summer 2026 to rise significantly [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8].
The Climate Change Committee warned in May 2025 that the UK is unprepared for climate impacts, estimating 92% of households could face overheating by 2050 [5, 6]. UKHSA and experts stress urgent action to improve heatwave preparedness and protect public health from rising temperatures [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].
