More than 2,700 people in England and Wales died from heat-related causes during the exceptionally hot heatwaves of May and June 2024 [1].
These figures highlight the growing vulnerability of the population to extreme temperature spikes as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of heat events in the UK.
The deaths occurred during a period of record-breaking weather. June 2024 was the warmest June on record in England [1]. During this period, the maximum temperature reached 37.7 °C (99.9 °F) at Lingwood [1].
Research teams from Imperial College, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analyzed the impact of these temperatures. While some estimates suggest the death toll was about 550 [3], other data indicates the number of heat-related deaths exceeded 2,700 [1].
The discrepancy in numbers often depends on whether researchers count deaths directly caused by heatstroke or those where heat exacerbated existing health conditions. Some reports suggest that just over 40% of these individuals died as a direct result of climate change [2].
The extreme heat in May and June 2024 created a sustained period of stress on public health systems. The record temperatures at Lingwood served as a benchmark for the severity of the event, marking one of the most intense heat periods the region has experienced.
“More than 2,700 people in England and Wales died from heat-related causes”
The significant gap between death toll estimates, ranging from 550 to over 2,700, underscores the difficulty in attributing mortality to environmental factors. However, the fact that June 2024 was the warmest on record suggests that current infrastructure and public health warnings in the UK may be insufficient for the accelerating pace of climate-driven temperature increases.
