Friday 7 October 2022 03:10 PM Summer 2022 saw Britain's deadliest EVER heatwave: 40C temperatures triggered ... trends now
Thousands more people died than expected this summer as a result of Britain’s baking Saharan temperatures, official figures show.
Across the nation's five separate heatwaves – including the record-breaking one in July, when the mercury surpassed 40C for the first time ever – an extra 3,200 fatalities were logged.
Analysts said they’ve never seen such high levels of excess mortality in heatwaves since records began nearly two decades ago.
Statisticians also expect the toll will only climb higher in the coming weeks, as delayed death registrations continue to trickle through.
Almost all fatalities from the heatwaves - which triggered devastating wildfires and hosepipe bans - occurred among the over-65s, in what health chiefs say demonstrates the deadly impact rising temperatures can have on at-risk groups.
Health chiefs today warned that the UK must adapt to living safely with even hotter summers inevitable in the future as a result of climate change.
The graph shows the number of daily deaths between June and August 2022 (red line), the five-year average of daily deaths (blue line) and heatwave periods (red bars)
The graphic from the ONS shows the proportion of daily excess deaths among the over-70s (blue line) and under-70s (pink line) in England and Wales. Death rates jumped among both cohorts during heatwaves (shown in grey bars), although fatalities were still largely below the five-year average among the under-70s
People on the beach in Brighton, East Sussex on July 19, 2022 as temperatures reached 40C (104F) in the UK for the first time
An aerial view of people enjoying the hot weather on the beach at Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside on August 10
The dried bed at Heronry Pond in Wanstead Park , east London, on August 10
London Fire Brigade dealing with the aftermath of a grass fire in Rainham, east London, on August 10
The data, released in a joint report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), shows the deadly effects of this summer's scorching temperatures.
Analysis by the ONS found that between June and August, 56,303 deaths occurred in England and Wales.
The figure is 3,271 (6.2 per cent) more than expected – based on the five-year average for that time of year.
The ONS believes the true figure will actually be higher because around eight per cent of deaths for the summer months are still to be registered.
The vast majority were clustered around Britain's five heat periods – defined as days when England's average temperature exceeded 20C (68F) or when a level 3 heat warning was issued.
Heat periods took place from June 16 to 19, July 10 to 25, July 30 to August 5, August 8 to 17 and August 23 to 25.
The second heatwave was the most deadly, with 2,227 deaths logged – 10.4 per cent above the average.
This heatwave saw the mercury hit 40.3C (104.5F) in Coningsby, Lincolnshire on July 19, marking Britain's hottest ever day.
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