Study estimates over 2,700 heat-related deaths in England and Wales during May-June heatwaves
Researchers say more than 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales were linked to heatwaves in May and June, with climate change contributing to roughly 42% of the fatalities.
More than 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales have been linked to heatwaves that struck in late May and June, according to a joint analysis by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Imperial College London and the Met Office. The May 21-29 event is estimated to have caused about 550 deaths, while the June 18-28 heatwave likely accounted for roughly 2,200 fatalities. Both episodes broke long-standing temperature records, with thresholds for a heatwave in the U.K. ranging from 77 to 82 °F depending on the county.
The highest numbers of heat-related deaths were recorded in southeast England (549), London (453) and the West Midlands (368). Researchers suggested that regions less accustomed to extreme heat may see greater vulnerability. > "It is vital that action on adapting Britain’s homes, workplaces, and critical infrastructure to extreme heat outpaces these health risks, especially if we are to protect those most vulnerable to its impacts, such as older people, babies, and children," said Malcolm Mistry, an assistant professor at LSHTM.
The study attributed about 42% of the U.K. heat-related deaths to human-caused climate change. > "Climate change is further boosting the temperature of essentially every heat wave we observe today. In other words, had the same weather pattern occurred 50 or 100 years ago, it would have also resulted in a heatwave, but one that was a bit cooler," said Flavio Lehner, a climate scientist at Cornell University.
The World Health Organization warned that rising nighttime temperatures hinder recovery from daytime heat stress, increasing health risks. Across Western Europe, June 2026 was the warmest on record, with multiple countries breaking daily maximum temperature records, according to the Copernicus climate service. Similar excess-death spikes were reported in Germany, France, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands during the same period.