London Faces Highest Weather Related Death Risk In England
London has recorded the highest proportion of deaths associated with extreme heat and freezing temperatures among English regions, according to new analysis from the Office for National Statistics.
The analysis examined mortality data covering the period from 1988 to 2025 and found that more than 40,000 additional deaths occurred across England on the hottest days than would normally have been expected. London recorded the highest proportion of deaths associated with extreme heat among the regions examined.
The ONS found that 0.36 per cent of all deaths recorded in London during the period were associated with days experiencing the highest temperatures. This was the highest proportion among all English regions, while the lowest was recorded in north west England at 0.15 per cent.
Researchers said the difference could partly reflect socioeconomic factors that affect how vulnerable people are to extreme temperatures. Factors including higher living costs and household overcrowding may reduce people's ability to adapt to periods of intense heat.
The findings come as London has experienced repeated periods of unusually high temperatures this year. The capital has already endured several heatwaves, with temperatures reaching 38C during one of the most severe spells of hot weather.
The latest figures do not include deaths linked to the most recent heatwaves, meaning the impact of the extreme temperatures recorded during the summer has not yet been incorporated into the ONS analysis. The full effect of this year's weather will therefore only become clearer when later data becomes available.
London's ambulance service has also experienced increased demand during the exceptionally hot conditions. It dealt with around 25,000 more calls during the summer compared with the previous year, taking demand above the previous record recorded during the peak of the Covid 19 pandemic.
The UK Health Security Agency previously estimated that 2,877 people across the country died during heatwaves in May and June. That figure was almost twice the number of deaths recorded across the whole of summer 2025, highlighting the increasing health impact associated with periods of extreme heat.
The ONS analysis also found that London had the highest proportion of deaths associated with freezing temperatures. Cold related mortality accounted for 0.88 per cent of deaths in the capital during the period studied, compared with 0.52 per cent in north east England, which recorded the lowest regional figure.
The findings indicate that the gap between deaths associated with extreme heat and extreme cold has narrowed in recent years. According to the ONS, the proportion of deaths associated with heat has increased as periods of very hot weather have become more frequent and prolonged.
James Tucker of the ONS said understanding the effects of both heat and cold on mortality was increasingly important as the climate changes. He said identifying groups that are particularly vulnerable could help inform future climate adaptation measures and public health interventions.
The figures have also prompted political debate about how London can better protect residents from extreme temperatures. Conservative politicians have argued that limited air conditioning in homes and a lack of shaded areas and greenery in parts of the capital could be contributing to the city's vulnerability during heatwaves.
Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner MP David Simmonds called for changes to rules affecting air conditioning and tree planting. He argued that improving access to cooling measures and increasing greenery could help reduce the health risks faced by London residents during increasingly severe heat.
Max Anderson of the Conservative Environment Network similarly argued that the findings should prompt greater action on adapting London to extreme weather. He called for changes that would make it easier to introduce cooling measures and increase green infrastructure across the capital.
The latest analysis adds to growing evidence that extreme temperatures are becoming an increasingly important public health issue. With both heatwaves and periods of severe cold capable of increasing mortality, authorities face the challenge of protecting vulnerable residents from increasingly variable weather conditions.
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