More than 2,700 deaths in UK linked to May, June heatwaves

A new study estimates that more than 2,700 deaths in England and Wales are linked to the record heatwaves in May and June 2026. There were 550 heat-related deaths between May 21-29, and nearly 2,200 between June 18-28. Researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used weather data and climate models. The UKHSA will publish its official estimate in the coming weeks.