More than 10,000 people have died during UK heatwaves since 2020, as scientists warn to prepare for more intense temperatures, more often.
Figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have laid bare the dangers of extreme weather, particularly for elderly people, with regional data exposing where the most deaths have occurred.
Regionally, the West Midlands had the greatest heat-associated death rate in 2024, with 38 deaths per million people or 232 in total. This was followed by the South West with 32 per million or 186 deaths in total.
The South East saw the highest total number of deaths in 2024, at 259, with a rate of 27 deaths per million. The region with the lowest number of deaths was Yorkshire and the Humber, which saw 38 deaths in total last year, or seven deaths per million people. Though London saw a relatively high number of total deaths, at 144, its death per million people rate was the second lowest at 16.
Dr Freya Garry, a senior scientist at the Met Office, said as climate change continues to worsen across the globe, the UK is likely to see intense heatwaves more often in the coming years.
“We are seeing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves increasing around the world and in the UK, there have been several major heatwaves in the last few years,” Dr Garry told The Independent.
She said she “would expect from observational data and model projection that we’ll be seeing continuation of trends, with hotter heatwave events and longer, hotter summers.”
The latest annual figures revealed there were 1,311 heat-associated deaths across four summer heat episodes in 2024, taking the total number of fatalities since 2020 to 10,781.
Heat-associated deaths reached their peak in 2022, when 2,985 people died across five summer heat episodes. This was followed by 2,295 deaths in 2023, also over five heat episodes. 2020 also saw a high fatality rate with 2,556 deaths over just three heat episodes. In 2021, 1,634 people died over two heat episodes.
Last year, the highest heat-associated mortality rates were seen in those aged 85 years and over, accounting for 521 deaths per million people.
The UKHSA says older people, babies and young children are more likely to be unwell from these hot weather events, because their bodies are less able to regulate temperature. It says higher temperatures can also increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, lung problems and other diseases.
Dr Garry said there was a relationship between these extreme heat metrics and mortality.
“For example, we expect to see an increase in events such as tropical nights, and when its hot overnight you don’t get a chance for your body to recover so it becomes a compounding impact on those hot summer days,” she said.
A “heat episode” takes place when the UKHSA issues an amber warning in at least one region, or when the mean Central England Temperature reaches at least 20C
Roger Harding, Director of Round Our Way, a UK climate charity, said: “High temperatures used to be something people largely worried about when going abroad, but they are starting to have a devastating impact here, especially for those of us getting on a bit.
“Heatwaves are becoming much more common as climate change intensifies and, as this data shows, it is costing some people their lives.
“We all need to look out for those in our lives vulnerable to the heat, and the government needs to ensure our health service and care homes are better prepared. We also need to cut the pollution that makes these heatwaves more likely to stop these tragic numbers going up and up.”
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