Heat alerts reach many adults in England, yet 41% of those warned take no action

A study examined responses to heat warnings across England. Researchers at the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health surveyed 1,097 adults. Seven in ten had seen a formal alert; among those warned, 41 percent reported taking no protective action. England recorded a provisional 37.7°C at Lingwood on 26 June, breaking a June record dating to 1976, while the country was under its second Red Heat Health Alert. Kew Gardens subsequently recorded a provisional 38.1°C on 13 August, with further amber alerts that month.

Risk perception proved equally low. Only 18 percent of respondents felt they were at high risk from heat, while roughly 30 percent admitted knowing little or nothing about protective measures. Trust in the primary communication channel—social media—was especially weak among older adults, the demographic most vulnerable to heat‑related illness. Interviews with 29 heat‑risk communicators revealed that three quarters of official messaging prioritized simply informing the public rather than motivating concrete actions. This informational focus, built to coordinate institutions, left a substantial portion of the population without clear guidance on how to stay safe.

Researchers argue that England has built only half of an effective heat‑risk strategy. Dr Mehri Khosravi notes that heat is still culturally framed as pleasant weather or a concern only for the very old and ill, limiting public urgency. The report calls for heat resilience to be embedded in housing and planning policies, with stricter enforcement of building regulations to improve indoor cooling. It also recommends working with trusted local intermediaries—libraries, faith groups and social‑care providers—to deliver actionable advice where digital alerts fall short. Such measures aim to close the gap between alert issuance and protective behaviour.