Summer heatwaves killed 900 people across UK, official data indicates

‘As our climate changes, hot spells are expected to be more frequent and more intense,’ says government expert

Temperatures soared on 25 July, breaking the UK record (PA)

Almost 900 people are thought to have died as a result of the heatwaves last summer, official data shows.

There were an estimated 892 “excess deaths” in over-65s during the three heatwaves that swept the UK, Public Health England (PHE) said.

The number of deaths spiked on the hottest day of the summer, 25 July, according to provisional data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last October.

Temperatures soared to 38.7C in Cambridge, breaking the record for the highest temperature officially recorded in the UK.

There were 275 excess deaths between 21-28 July and 320 between 23-29 August. The total is the highest for the last three years.

No “significant excess mortality” was observed during the first heatwave of the summer, between 28-30 June, PHE added.

The excess death figures are compared to the numbers that would be expected as per baseline mortality.

Elderly people, young children and those with long-term health conditions are most vulnerable to the effects of prolonged hot weather.

While the statistics body said a number of excess deaths were estimated to have occurred in the under-65s during the 2019 heatwaves, the figure was not considered statistically significant.

Emer O’Connell, head of extreme events and health protection at PHE, told the Press Association: “Parts of the country experienced exceptionally high temperatures during summer 2019 and we know that periods of hot weather can lead to increases in the number of deaths.

“These deaths were not confined to areas with the highest temperatures, as the hot weather affected people across the country, and highlight the importance of taking protective action even in places where the temperatures are less extreme.

“As our climate changes, hot spells are expected to be more frequent and more intense.

“PHE is responding to this risk by updating the Heatwave Plan for England with an adverse weather and health plan.”

PHE said the update will focus on health risks associated with climate change and adverse weather.