Public Health England urges 18°C heating for over-65s as cold alert spreads
Public Health England advised that homes across the United Kingdom be kept at a minimum of 18 °C for people aged 65 and over, citing a weakened polar vortex forecast by the Met Office. Earlier, the UK Health Security Agency placed a yellow cold-health alert for Greater Manchester and the north-west, warning of temperatures falling to –1 °C and heightened health risks for vulnerable groups.
The agency later extended the yellow alert to the North West and West Midlands as temperatures were expected to remain below average through. The alerts were issued as the Met Office warned that the polar vortex could bring colder air to the UK, prompting the health guidance for older residents.