Britain must do more to protect people from overheating in their homes after nearly 2,900 heat-associated deaths were recorded during May and June, environmental health experts have warned.
The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health said the latest UK Health Security Agency figures should be a wake-up call as hotter summers increase risks for older people and those with existing health conditions.
Dr Henry Dawson, a member of CIEH’s housing advisory panel, said: “Environmental health practitioners are one of the few professional groups bringing about the changes to our existing housing stock that are needed to combat the effects of more frequent extreme weather events.
“The resilience of existing homes to these events is an issue that affects the lives of millions of people. We need to drive it up the political agenda.”
UKHSA estimates there were 2,877 heat-associated deaths during two periods of hot weather in England in May and June 2026. That is almost double the number recorded across the whole of 2025 and puts renewed focus on whether Britain’s housing stock is equipped for more frequent and severe heatwaves.
Older properties, poorly ventilated homes and buildings designed to retain heat can become dangerously warm during prolonged hot spells. The problem can be particularly severe in flats, densely populated urban areas and homes where residents are unable to afford cooling or make physical changes to the property.
CIEH said environmental health practitioners working in local authorities are well placed to identify homes where excess heat presents a serious risk.
They can use housing legislation to require improvements where conditions threaten residents’ health.
However, the institute warned councils need stable and predictable funding if they are to recruit and train enough staff to enforce housing standards effectively.
Heat already places additional pressure on the NHS, as high temperatures increase the risk of dehydration, heatstroke and worsening heart and respiratory conditions.
UKHSA has warned that more periods of extreme heat this summer could push 2026 towards the highest annual number of heat-associated deaths on record.
CIEH said adapting existing homes now needs to become a bigger part of the country’s response to climate change rather than treating extreme heat purely as a short-term public health emergency.
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