Perception gaps on extreme heat

21 May 2025

A research paper – based on a nationally representative survey of 1750 UK residents in summer 2023 – finds several gaps and contradictions in heat perceptions. This includes:

Threat-preparedness gaps: While heat was viewed as life-threatening by most (75%) and two-thirds (66 %) believe they are becoming more extreme due to climate change – a majority feel that both national (68%) and local (67%) governments in the UK are not prepared for heat risks, and a similar number (65-67%) did not feel that transport, infrastructure and buildings were prepared.
Vulnerability gaps: People tend to see themselves as less vulnerable than others with only 19% saying they feel it is very or extremely likely their own health will be impacted by heat events in the next five years – compared to 29-30% thinking this of their local community or social network. This is striking given 37% say they have personally experienced health-related impacts of heat, while more than half (58 %) say they have experienced discomfort during heatwaves and very hot weather.
Mitigation-adaptation gaps: While almost two-thirds (62 %) felt that any government action on cooling must not make climate change worse, and half (55 %) feel green/renewable energy should be used to power cooling measures, there was also strong support for the use of air conditioning. 59% supported AC use with a mix of attitudes on it’s environmental impact (38 % believed it was okay if it leads to an increase in energy use, 37 % were not sure, and 36 % see it as harmful).

Reference article:

Authors: Candice Howarth, Heidi Zamzow, Niall McLoughlin, Ganga Shreedhar
Date: 21st May 2025

Gaps in public perceptions of extreme heat highlight UK’s lack of preparedness

Sign up now for a regular, short, digestible email summary of what you need to know in the world of climate opinion.

The latest from the Heat, Drought & Wildfires timeline:

Wider Context 26th August 2026

40,000 extra people died on England’s hottest days between 1988 and 2025

More than 40,000 extra people died on England’s hottest days between 1988 and 2025 compared with what would be expected in normal temperatures, according to new ONS data.

Deaths from high heat are expected to keep climbing as climate change and an ageing population combine, with older people, children and the unwell most at risk.

The strain has been visible across the health system: A&E departments saw their busiest period on record, with almost 2.5 million attendances a month in May, June and July, with record-breaking heat cited as a key factor. Nurses reported collapsing on shift amid what their union called “inhumane and impossible” conditions.

Source: the Guardian
Author: The Guardian
Date: 26th August 2026

Extreme heat linked to 40,000 deaths in England between 1988 and 2025

Climate Barometer Tracker 25th August 2026

Experience of heat, drought and wildfires shaped by political worldview

Data from a Climate Barometer & Flooded People survey carried out in March-April 2026 shows how politics plays a clear role in reported experience of heat, drought and wildfires amongst the UK public.

Green (59%), Plaid (55%) and Labour backers (54%) were the most likely to report personal experience of heatwaves/extreme heat, while Liberal Democrats were the most likely to say they have experienced drought and water scarcity (18%).

Plaid Cymru backers were the most likely to highlight an experience of wildfires – even ahead of this summer’s ‘firewave‘, which saw a number of major fires across Wales. They are followed by SNP backers (11%) showing how geography likely plays a role here too.

Yet Reform UK backers are the ones who diverge the most – just 32% report experience of heatwaves and extreme heat – and just 3% say they have experienced wildfires.

Opinion Insight 24th August 2026

YouGov tracker: Uptick in importance of ‘the environment’ amidst a summer of extremes

YouGov’s long-term data tracking shows an uptick in the belief that ‘the environment’ is one of the UK’s most important issues, amidst a summer of unprecedented heat, fires and drought. Although this increase does not match high points across the trend line, or the impact of summer heat episodes between 2022-2024.

The importance Britons placed on ‘the environment’ rose +11% across this summer – from 14% on the 4th May (pre-heatwaves) to a peak of 25% on the 17th of August, before dropping slightly again to 23% on the 24th of August.

These shifts have been particularly noticeable amongst Lib Dem supporters (+17%, from 23% to 40% in the same period), Labour supporters (+15%, from 22% to 37%) and women (+14%, from 15% to 29%).

This data follows a piece by YouGov published after the June summer heatwave, which suggested that the heat had not impacted people’s climate opinions or actions, despite 71% believing the heatwave was likely to have been caused by climate change.

While this certainly appeared true at the time – the latest data suggests this piece may have been premature in catching the full effects of the extreme heat on environmental salience this summer (especially when previous weather extremes have led to spikes in issue salience data).

Source: YouGov
Author: YouGov
Date: 24th August 2026

The most important issues facing the country 2011-2026

View Heat, Drought & Wildfires timeline now