More than 15 million UK adults reported feeling unwell because of the heat during June's record-breaking heatwave, according to Opinium research for the End Fuel Poverty Coalition1. Opinium interviewed 2,000 UK adults aged 18 and over between 26 and 30 June 2026; 28 per cent said the heatwave had made them feel unwell, which the Coalition says is equivalent to around 15.2 million people nationally1. Results were weighted to be nationally representative and the survey was conducted online1.
The research found disproportionately high impacts among people in difficult financial situations and disabled people. Nearly half (47 per cent) of those whose financial situation is difficult or very difficult, and four in ten (44 per cent) disabled people, said they were left unwell by the heat1. More than half (55 per cent) of disabled respondents said their sleep had been affected by their home being too hot over the past year, 44 per cent said they could not get their home to a comfortable temperature, and 18 per cent said they could not afford to cool their home down1.
| Measure | All | Financially difficult | Disabled | Heart condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felt unwell during the recent heatwave | 28% | 47% | 44% | 33% |
| High home temperatures affected sleep over the last 12 months | 45% | 57% | 55% | 45% |
| Unable to get home to a comfortable temperature over the last 12 months | 33% | 51% | 44% | 25% |
| Could not afford to cool their home down over the last 12 months | 12% | 30% | 18% | 9% |
| Unable to go outside for normal daily activities during the heatwave | 25% | 37% | 36% | 36% |
| Spent a lot of money running fans or air-conditioning over the last 12 months | 20% | 31% | 26% | 19% |
| Worried heatwaves will become more frequent and severe | 65% | 74% | 70% | 62% |
The research comes as experts estimate an additional 20,000 deaths across Europe, including 862 in the UK, as a direct result of the heat dome which engulfed the continent last month1. National Housing Federation and Chartered Institute of Housing analysis found more than 70,000 babies in England, equivalent to one in every six, are living in overheated homes1. The Coalition says overheating carries particularly serious health risks for children under five, especially babies, who are less able to regulate their temperature and manage dehydration1.
Simon Francis, Coordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, said:
"The risk is made worse for households with poor ventilation or no ability to implement passive cooling measures. And the risk is also heightened for people who are simply unable to afford to run fans and air conditioners to keep their homes cool."
Gavin Smart, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said the ambition shown in the government's Warm Homes Plan is a necessary first step, and that building regulations around overheating need strengthening1. Dan White, policy and campaigns officer at Disability Rights UK, said disabled people remain largely invisible in discussions and solutions to climate adaptation1.
Why it matters for households
The findings link summer heat to the same households that struggle in winter. The Coalition says the same people who suffer in cold winters suffer in hot summers, and cites a Climate Change Committee warning that most homes could overheat in more extreme heat events, with the poorest neighbourhoods seven times more likely to be vulnerable1. For a household, the practical questions are whether a home can be kept at a comfortable temperature without mechanical cooling, and what running fans or air conditioning adds to energy costs. The survey found 20 per cent of all respondents had spent a lot of money running fans or air-conditioning units over the last 12 months, rising to 31 per cent among those finding their financial situation difficult1. The Coalition also notes it has been more than five years since energy bills could be considered even vaguely normal1. How a home is ventilated and shaded during hot weather, and how well it performs on measures such as EPC ratings, bear directly on both comfort and cost. The Coalition's figures sit alongside wider market data on housing condition, and the practical options for overheating and hot weather in homes are set out for households and their advisers.
What happens next
The Coalition says the third blast of extreme heat in just a few months is highly unusual1. The Chartered Institute of Housing says the government's Warm Homes Plan is a necessary first step, that it believes building regulations around overheating need strengthening, and that policies to support people with the energy costs of keeping cool during future heatwaves should be considered1. It also raises whether the 1.5 million homes planned for this parliament will cope with hotter temperatures1. No timetable for regulatory change has been reported.
Sources1 cited
- 15 million adults left feeling unwell by recent heatwaves - End Fuel Poverty Coalition, endfuelpoverty.org.uk