More than 40,000 heat-related deaths recorded in England since 1988

The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) released data on Wednesday showing that more than 40,000 excess deaths occurred in England on the hottest days between 1988 and 2025, compared with what would normally be expected. The figures exclude this summer, during which England has endured repeated heatwaves and is on course to record its highest-ever number of heat-related deaths.

The UK Health Security Agency reported on 30 July that around 2,877 people died during the May and June heatwaves alone — almost double the toll for the entirety of summer 2025.

Experts expect premature heat deaths to keep rising as the climate crisis, driven by fossil fuel burning, pushes temperatures higher while the population ages. Older people, children and those already unwell are especially vulnerable. Conditions are expected to worsen further in 2027 as a super El Niño system builds in the Pacific Ocean.

Hospitals under strain

Emergency departments across England have faced their busiest period on record this summer, with close to 2.5 million patients attending A&E in each of May, June and July, with heat cited as a key factor. Earlier in August, the nurses' union warned that staff had been collapsing during shifts amid what it called "inhumane and impossible" conditions caused by extreme heat.

According to the ONS, London recorded the highest number of deaths linked to extreme heat. The London Ambulance Service has handled 25,000 more calls this summer than last year, exceeding even the record set at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Historically, cold weather has been associated with more deaths in England than heat — 139,000 deaths were linked to the coldest days between 1988 and 2025, the ONS said. However, the agency noted that the share of deaths linked to the hottest days has been rising in recent years, narrowing the gap between heat- and cold-related mortality.

Across continental Europe, at least 35,000 excess deaths have been recorded this summer so far, based on data covering roughly half the continent. The heatwave that struck western Europe in late June was found to be the most severe and widespread on record, and scientists concluded it would not have been possible without the climate crisis caused by fossil fuel burning. The World Health Organization said in May that heat-related mortality in its European region had risen by more than 30% over the past two decades. A major report published by the Lancet in October found that rising global heat kills one person every minute worldwide.