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The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued its first amber heat-health alert (HHA) of 2026, warning that high temperatures over the coming days may put vulnerable people at increased risk and reminding health and social care services to prepare for further alerts over the summer as temperatures rise.
The current heat health alert in place for the West Midlands, East Midlands, East of England, South East, and London regions will be escalated to amber from 2pm on Friday 22 May. This alert will remain in place until 5pm on Wednesday 27 May.
In addition, a yellow Heat-Health Alert will be in place for the North East, North West, South West, and Yorkshire and the Humber regions, and will be in place for the same period.
Under UKHSA and the Met Office’s Weather-Health alerting system, an amber Heat Health alert means that any impacts will likely include
- increased use of health care services by vulnerable populations
- an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
Dr Anya Gopfert, Consultant in Health Protection at UKHSA, said
We know that even moderate heat can lead to serious health problems, especially for older people and those with certain health conditions, so it’s important that everyone takes simple precautions while enjoying the warm weather over the coming days.
If you have friends, family or neighbours who are more vulnerable, it is important to check in on them and ensure they are aware of the forecasts and are following the necessary advice.
There are simple steps you can take to keep yourself and others safe during periods of hot weather, such as
- keeping your home cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun
- if you do go outside, cover up with suitable clothing, such as an appropriate hat and sunglasses, and seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly
- keeping out of the sun at the hottest time of the day, between 11am and 3pm
- if you are going to do a physical activity (for example, exercising or walking the dog), plan to do these during times of the day when it is cooler, such as the morning or evening
- knowing the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if you or someone else has them
Our UKHSA data dashboard provides the latest details on HHAs currently in place and their duration, while our latest blog details how exactly heat impacts the body and what we can do avoid the negative effects.
