England is on course to record its highest number of heat-related deaths this summer after preliminary estimates showed nearly 2,900 people died during the first two major heatwaves of the season, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
The agency estimated that 2,877 excess deaths were linked to the May and June heatwaves, leaving this year's total just 108 short of the record 2,985 heat-associated deaths recorded in 2022. With August traditionally bringing the hottest weather of the year, officials warned that further hot weather could make 2026 the deadliest summer for heat-related deaths since comparable UKHSA records began.
