UK heatwaves May-June 2026 cause about 2,700 excess deaths

An estimated 2,700 people died from heat-related causes during two record-breaking heatwaves in England and Wales in May and June of 2026, according to a new analysis by researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The study, which provides a rapid statistical estimate of excess deaths, underscores the severe and growing public health threat posed by extreme heat amplified by climate change.

The first heatwave occurred in late May, peaking at 35.1 degrees Celsius at Kew Gardens on May 26, a significant new record for the month. The second and more severe event spanned late June, with temperatures reaching 37.7 degrees Celsius in Lingwood, Norfolk, on June 26, setting a new national record for June. Both periods triggered rare red heat health alerts across parts of the country, warning of a significant risk to life even for healthy individuals.

Researchers estimate approximately 550 heat-related excess deaths occurred during a nine-day period in May, and nearly 2,200 during an 11-day period in June. Their modeling further attributes a substantial portion of these deaths directly to human-induced climate change....