ONS Reveals Over 40,000 Heat-Linked Deaths Recorded in England Since 1988

New data from the Office for National Statistics reveals that over 40,000 additional deaths occurred on the hottest days in England between 1988 and 2025 compared to expected figures.

These statistics do not account for the current summer, during which England has endured repeated heatwaves and is projected to record its highest-ever number of heat-related fatalities. On 30 July, the UK Health Security Agency reported that approximately 2,877 deaths were linked to the May and June heatwaves alone—nearly double the total for the entire summer of 2024.

Premature deaths caused by high temperatures are anticipated to increase as the climate crisis continues to drive temperatures upward and the population grows older. Elderly individuals, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions are especially susceptible to extreme heat. Projections indicate that 2026 will bring further temperature escalation due to the super El Niño system currently developing in the Pacific Ocean.

Hospital emergency departments across England have faced their most demanding summer on record, with nearly 2.5 million patients visiting A&E each month during May, June, and July. Heat has been identified as a leading contributing factor. Reports emerged in early August of nurses collapsing during shifts due to what their union described as “inhumane and impossible” working conditions brought on by extreme temperatures.

London recorded the highest number of deaths attributable to extreme heat, according to the ONS. The London Ambulance Service has responded to 25,000 more emergency calls this summer than during the previous year, exceeding the volume handled at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Historically, cold temperatures have caused more deaths in England than hot ones. The ONS data indicates 139,000 deaths were associated with the coldest days between 1988 and 2025. However, the agency noted: “The proportion of deaths associated with the hottest days has increased in recent years, and the gap between heat- and cold-related deaths is narrowing.”

Across continental Europe, preliminary figures from just over half the continent indicate that at least 35,000 excess deaths occurred during the scorching summer months.

Scientists have determined that the late-June heatwave that swept western Europe was the most severe and geographically extensive ever documented, and that it could only have occurred as a result of the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis. The World Health Organization stated in May that heat-related mortality across its European region has surged by more than 30% over the past two decades.

According to a comprehensive Lancet report published in October, rising global temperatures now claim approximately one life every minute worldwide.

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