Heat-Health Alerts issued by UKHSA and the Met Office
Source: gov.uk (2025-08-11)

The latest heat-health alert (HHA) issued by UKHSA and the Met Office for all regions of England.

Our UKHSA data dashboard (https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts/heat) provides the latest details on heat-health alerts currently in place and their duration, while our latest blog (https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/11/heat-health-what-you-need-to-know-for-summer-2025/) details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.

Latest

Monday 11 August 2025

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for 5 regions of England. The West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, London, and East of England will be under an amber heat health alert from 9am tomorrow (Tuesday 12 August) until 6pm on Wednesday 13 August. In addition, a yellow HHA has been issued for the North West and North East regions for the same period. The South West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions are already under a yellow HHA, which remains in place.

Under the Weather-Health Alert system (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-launches-new-alerting-system-in-collaboration-with-the-met-office), an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr Paul Coleman, Consultant in Public Health at UKHSA, said:

Temperatures are forecast to rise above 30°C across central and southern parts of the country over the next few days, and generally hot weather is expected across most regions of England.

These kind of temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population – particularly in those who are vulnerable, such as the elderly or those with serious health conditions - so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

If you have friends, family or neighbours who are vulnerable, it is important to ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice. Check in on them if you can to make sure they know that hot weather is on the way and how to keep themselves safe.

UKHSA guidance on staying safe in hot weather (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) is available online. There you can find a full list of the groups who are especially at risk, as well as advice on keeping yourself and others safe during periods of hotter weather, such as:
- keeping your home cool (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-keep-cool-at-home-checklist) by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) and what to do if you or someone else has them
The UKHSA data dashboard (https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/) carries further detail on our Heat Health Alerting system, and on the potential impacts of increased temperatures, and more tips for coping in hot weather can be found on the NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/seasonal-health/heatwave-how-to-cope-in-hot-weather/).

Previous

Friday 11 July 2025

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for 6 regions of England. The West Midlands, East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England will be under an amber heat health alert from 12pm today until 9am on Monday 14 July. The North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions remain under a yellow HHA.

Under the Weather-Health Alert system (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-launches-new-alerting-system-in-collaboration-with-the-met-office), an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:

This weekend we expect to see another period of hot weather, with the temperature predicted to rise above 30°C across most regions of England.

Exposure to these temperatures can result in serious health outcomes across the population so it is important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

Older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions are particularly at risk, so if you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable to these conditions, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.

There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice), such as:
- keeping your home cool (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-keep-cool-at-home-checklist) by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard (https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/) details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.

Previous

Monday 30 June 2025

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for two further regions of England, and extended the amber alert currently in place for 5 others. A yellow HHA has been issued for the North West region.

The amber alert will cover the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber regions, in addition to the East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England, which have been under an amber HHA since Thursday 26 June. The amber alert will remain in place until 9am on Wednesday 2 July.

A yellow HHA has been issued for the North West, and will also be in place until 9am Wednesday 2 June.

The current hot weather is forecast to continue through Monday and Tuesday, with the potential for temperatures as high as 35 degrees Celsius (°C) in some areas. Some parts of England are also forecast to experience overnight temperatures as high as 20-22°C.

Under the Weather-Health Alert system (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-launches-new-alerting-system-in-collaboration-with-the-met-office), an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:

The current spell of hot weather is forecast to continue until the middle of this week, with temperatures above 30°C likely in most regions of England.

We are reminding everyone to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun. Remember that it is very important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable, as the temperatures we are likely to see over the next few days can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions.

There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice), such as:
- keeping your home cool (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-keep-cool-at-home-checklist) by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk%2Fweather-health-alerts%2Fheat&data=05%7C02%7COla.Francis%40ukhsa.gov.uk%7Cebfc103cc62945cd825b08ddb7b79fda%7Cee4e14994a354b2ead475f3cf9de8666%7C0%7C0%7C638868721471476548%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Gpk%2FUo%2BmCMtIAdcMS%2BxZYIRh7HE%2BSl1TVygxfiABvVk%3D&reserved=0) provides the latest details on HHAs currently in place and their duration, while our latest blog (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fukhsa.blog.gov.uk%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fheat-health-what-you-need-to-know-for-summer-2025%2F&data=05%7C02%7COla.Francis%40ukhsa.gov.uk%7Cebfc103cc62945cd825b08ddb7b79fda%7Cee4e14994a354b2ead475f3cf9de8666%7C0%7C0%7C638868721471515116%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=f6uxJxzD8z7qPZd0LGuUW9JQydwK2%2B4yH4rprhSBdJg%3D&reserved=0) details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.

Thursday 26 June 2025

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for 5 regions of England and a yellow alert for 2 regions.

The East Midlands, South East, South West, London, and East of England will be under an amber alert from tomorrow, while a yellow alert has been issued for Yorkshire and Humber, and the West Midlands.

The alert is currently in place from 12 noon on Friday 27 June to 6pm on Tuesday 1 July. The weather will get steadily warmer in the coming days, peaking on Monday when much of the country will see temperatures in the early to mid-30s degrees Celsius (°C).

Under the Weather-Health Alert system (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-launches-new-alerting-system-in-collaboration-with-the-met-office), an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:

We have already seen a spell of hot weather last week and temperatures are once again set to increase in the coming days, with central, southern and eastern areas of the country likely to see the biggest impacts.

Our findings show that heat, especially at the sort of temperatures we are likely to see at the beginning of next week, can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions.

It is therefore important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice), such as:
- keeping your home cool (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-keep-cool-at-home-checklist) by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard (https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts/heat) provides the latest details on HHAs currently in place and their duration, while our latest blog (https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/11/heat-health-what-you-need-to-know-for-summer-2025/) details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.

Previous

Thursday 19 June 2025

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for all regions of England.

The alert is currently in place from 12 noon on Thursday 19 June to 9am on Monday 23 June. The Met Office has forecast temperatures exceeding 30°C.

Under the Weather-Health Alert system (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-launches-new-alerting-system-in-collaboration-with-the-met-office), an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service. At this level, we may begin to see some health impacts across the wider population. We may also see an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:

We have already seen warm weather across the week, and temperatures are set to increase in the coming days, exceeding 30°C in many areas.

Our findings show that heat can result in serious health outcomes across the population, especially for older adults or those with pre-existing health conditions. It is therefore important to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable and to take sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Dan Holley, said:

The highest temperatures from this hot spell are forecast for Saturday, with low 30s Celsius fairly widely across England, and up to 34°C possible in eastern areas. Despite this, the more uncomfortable heat will be in northern and western areas initially, where despite somewhat lower temperatures the air will be more humid.

The nights will also be quite warm, with the possibility of temperatures not falling below 20°C in some areas, making it hard to sleep. This is what we term a ‘tropical night’.

Temperatures will ease from the west on Sunday as fresher air arrives from the Atlantic, although parts of East Anglia and the far southeast of England could still see 28 to 29°C for a time.

There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice), such as:
- keeping your home cool (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-keep-cool-at-home-checklist) by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard (https://ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk/weather-health-alerts/heat) provides the latest details on HHAs currently in place and their duration, while our latest blog (https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2025/06/11/heat-health-what-you-need-to-know-for-summer-2025/) details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.

Previous

Tuesday 17 June 2025

First yellow heat-health alert of 2025 issued for 4 regions

Today sees the first yellow heat-health alert issued of the year, as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reminds health and social care services to prepare for further alerts through summer as temperatures heat up.

The alert is currently in place from 9pm on Thursday 12 June to 8am on 15 June and covers the East of England, East Midlands, London and South East regions.

The Met Office has forecast temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius (ºC) on Friday. Whilst temperatures may not seem too high for the general population for now, data from UKHSA shows that even at these forecasted temperatures, vulnerable groups and health care services can be impacted.

Under UKHSA and the Met Office’s Weather-Health alerting system (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-launches-new-alerting-system-in-collaboration-with-the-met-office), a yellow alert means that any impacts will likely include:
- increased use of health care services by vulnerable populations
- an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:

“Our findings shows that even moderate heat can result in serious health outcomes, especially for older adults, and it is therefore important that everyone takes sensible precautions while enjoying the sun.

“The forecasted high temperatures are expected to be short-lived but could primarily impact those over the age of 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions. If you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.’’

There are additional ways in which you can keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice), such as:
- keeping your home cool (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-keep-cool-at-home-checklist) by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beat-the-heat-hot-weather-advice/beat-the-heat-staying-safe-in-hot-weather) and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk%2Fweather-health-alerts%2Fheat&data=05%7C02%7COla.Francis%40ukhsa.gov.uk%7C4dcbea715e1144a4302208dda8d3f024%7Cee4e14994a354b2ead475f3cf9de8666%7C0%7C0%7C638852350420024018%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J04sPzLCy3vdwkHPje85cW3rbJn3CBPhvCvCYXVKFFI%3D&reserved=0) provides the latest details on HHAs currently in place and their duration, while our latest blog (https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fukhsa.blog.gov.uk%2F2025%2F06%2F11%2Fheat-health-what-you-need-to-know-for-summer-2025%2F&data=05%7C02%7COla.Francis%40ukhsa.gov.uk%7C4dcbea715e1144a4302208dda8d3f024%7Cee4e14994a354b2ead475f3cf9de8666%7C0%7C0%7C638852350420038152%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mdEfVw2BFjJcFT4fkjOpJGoGiUDYu16t6VqVjBuNaQI%3D&reserved=0) details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.