Climate change warning as 40,000 die after extreme heat scorches England and Wales

Climate change warning as 40,000 die after extreme heat scorches England and Wales Over 40,000 people died in England and Wales from extreme heat between 1988 and 2025, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics - over 65s are most likely to be impacted Extreme heat has killed over 40,000 people in England and Wales over the past 40 years as the climate heats up, new figures show. A new report the Office for National Statistics revealed that 40,000 deaths in England and 2,070 deaths in Wales were associated with the hottest days between 1988 and 2025. Scientists warned that the gap is now closing between the number of deaths caused annually by cold and hot weather, with heatwaves becoming more extreme due to climate change. This has been caused by an uptick in the number of heat-related deaths in recent years, the ONS said. It follows previous warnings that 2026 is on track to be the deadliest on record for heatwave deaths. People aged 65 years and older were most vulnerable to both the hottest and coldest temperatures, according to the ONS study. London and the south of England are the regions that face the highest mortality risks during extreme heat, classed as temperatures exceeding 29C. Circulatory diseases, respiratory conditions, and dementia are among the health impacts linked to extreme hot weather, as well as related illnesses that arise in care homes, nursing homes and assisted accommodation. An estimated 138,944 deaths in England and 10,098 deaths in Wales were associated with the coldest days in the 40-year period. England is on track this year for the highest number of heat-related deaths since records began, according to estimates released last month by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). More than 2,700 people died from heat-related causes during May and June’s record hot spells. Scientists have warned that heatwaves are becoming more intense, lasting longer and are more frequent as a result of climate change brought on by burning fossil fuels. Researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) estimated that there were 2,700 excess deaths in England and Wales over the first two heatwaves of 2026. More than two fifths (42%) of the fatalities from the spring heatwaves died as a result of the extra heat caused by human activity. Their study, which collected near-rapid estimates of deaths, examined the periods around the record-breaking heatwaves of May, when temperatures peaked at 35.1C, and June, which hit new highs for the month of above 37C and was accompanied by high humidity. Updated figures including this summer's five heatwaves are expected later this year.