This preliminary figure is almost twice as high as that recorded over the entire summer of 2025 (1,504 deaths), and indicates a “significant impact on public health,” the agency said.
Read more Strict message from Tusko to Putin: the next 100 days could determine the outcome of the war
“These figures highlight the serious danger that very hot weather can pose to people’s health,” said UKHSA scientist Ross Thompson.
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the UK is used to higher morbidity in winter, but “we are now seeing that summer heat is having an increasingly serious impact on the health of thousands of people.”
The latest figure does not include the current month of July, when the heat also continued, so according to UKHSA, the total summer figure is likely to be much higher.
“Based on interim data, it is likely that 2026 could record the highest number of heat-related deaths in history,” the agency said.
The excess mortality rate is calculated by comparing the average number of deaths on days when the temperature exceeds 20 degrees Celsius with the average number on cooler days.
Read more Pirated version of the movie «Odyssey» leaked on platform «X»: Musk snapped
In May there were 753 additional deaths, and in June, when a rare “red” heat warning was issued – 2,124.
UKHSA emphasized that communities and services must prepare for hot weather from the very beginning of summer, not just at its peak.
The record summer mortality rate was recorded in 2022, when 2,985 heat-related deaths were registered.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC), responsible for advising the government on climate change issues, warned last year that the UK is not prepared to cope with the effects of climate change.
In a report published in May, the committee estimated that by 2050, 92% of British homes could be too hot, and recommended that the government set maximum temperature limits in workplaces, as well as invest in air conditioning in public buildings such as hospitals and schools.
Read more Weekly horoscope (July 30 – August 5): some signs will have to rein in their horses
