Yellow Heat-Health Alert
A Yellow Heat-Health Alert has been issued for the South East. It is currently in effect between 9am on 22/05/2026 until 5pm on 27/05/2026, but this will be reviewed daily, so please check the forecast regularly.
Yellow Heat-Health Alert
Minor impacts are probable across the health and social care sector, including increased use of healthcare services by the vulnerable population; increase in risk of mortality amongst vulnerable individuals and increased potential for indoor environments to become very warm.
Advice to keep cool, stay safe, and look out for others
While many people enjoy the warmer weather, prolonged hot weather can be particularly difficult for people who are more vulnerable. This includes:
- Older people 65+
- People who are pregnant
- Those living alone or isolated
- People with severe physical or mental illness
- People on multiple medications; including those in care homes, in receipt of care
- People in urban areas; south-facing top floor flats
- People with alcohol and/or drug dependencies
- Homeless people
- Babies and young children
- Outdoor workers
- People living in poor housing conditions.
Warmer weather can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. For more information about how to cope:
- Beat the heat: hot weather advice
- Stay safe in the heat
- Sunscreen and sun safety
- Heatwave: how to cope in hot weather
If responsible for staff and others who might be vulnerable, please familiarise yourself with the key advice and actions you need to take:
- Read this guidance Hot weather risks and their impact on health
- Make sure you and your staff are aware of the effects of severe heat on a person’s health and action needed to be taken when you/they notice a client/patient is at risk of overheating
- Identify and assess any vulnerable service users or staff and have a plan in place to reduce their risk, including any tailored advice or mitigations you need
- Read the relevant action card to ensure you know the actions required for yellow, amber and red Heat-Health Alerting system
- Consider if any environmental changes are needed or changes to planned activities or events.
- Share relevant advice and resources through your services and staff networks to help people keep cool, stay safe and look out for others
- If you haven’t already, sign up to receive the Heat-Health Alerts from UKHSA