science
UK Estimates More Than 2,700 Heat-Related Deaths in May and June 2026 Heatwaves
Researchers attribute most fatalities to the June heatwave that set a new record high of 37.7°C in England. The Bbc reported the estimates alongside data showing climate change intensified both heat events.
Jul 12, 7:10 PM·1m read1 source
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More than 2,700 people may have died from heat-related causes in the UK during May and June 2026, The Bbc reported. Most of those deaths occurred during the June heatwave, according to the estimates from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. June 2026 was the warmest June on record in England, The Bbc reported.
A temperature of 37.7°C was recorded at Lingwood, Norfolk, exceeding the previous June high of 35.6°C set in 1957. A rare red heat alert was issued for parts of England and Wales during the event. May temperatures also set a new UK record of 35.1°C at Kew Gardens on May 26, The Bbc reported.
That reading surpassed the prior May high of 32.8°C, established in 1922 and matched in 1944. Both the May and June heatwaves resulted from a stalled high-pressure system known as a heat dome. Human-induced climate change added between 3°C and 4°C to the maximum temperatures recorded in May and June, The Bbc reported.
The planet has warmed by around 1.4°C since pre-industrial times. The study modeled the death toll using records from previous years. " In 2025, heat-related deaths reached roughly half the 3,039 predicted by experts.
Heat health alerts and actions by the NHS and care system likely reduced the impact that year, the UKHSA said. Heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, more intense and longer-lasting with rising greenhouse gas emissions, The Bbc reported.
