Heat-related deaths closing the gap with cold as England and Wales's climate health burden shifts

The ONS's 26 August 2026 report covering 1988–2025 documents 109,000 cold-attributable deaths in England over 37 years. The proportion tied to extreme heat is rising, and the gap between heat- and cold-related mortality is narrowing. London recorded the highest heat-attributable death count. The WHO reports a 30% increase in heat-related mortality across Europe over two decades.