England had 4,500 heat-related deaths in 2022 – 09/22/2023 – Environment

There were an estimated 4,507 heat-related deaths in England in 2022, according to an official climate-related mortality study published this Friday (22), which showed some signs of an increase in hot weather-related deaths.

The UK recorded its hottest day ever in July 2022, when temperatures surpassed 40°C as part of a heatwave driven by climate change across Europe.

The Office for National Statistics said its study showed “some indication that heat-related deaths have increased in recent years”, but described the data as tentative and advised caution when making individual year-on-year comparisons.

“Any shift in climate toward more extreme temperatures will likely lead to an increase in attributable deaths,” the agency said.

The ten hottest years on record in the UK have all occurred this century, according to national forecasting body the Met Office.

The agency said that during the 35 years between 1988 and 2022, around 51,670 deaths in England were associated with the hottest 5% of days and around 199,298 deaths were associated with the coldest 5% of days.

The highest risk of mortality occurred in London when temperatures rose above 29°C and, as a result, the risk of death was three times higher than when temperatures were 9°C to 22°C, the agency said.

Temperatures in the UK this summer have not reached 2022 highs, but a heatwave this month also saw the first run of seven consecutive days above 30°C in September. The Met Office said 2023 was the eighth hottest summer on record in the UK.