Hot Weather Preparation Checklist

Hot weather is easier to get through if the things you need are already in the house. Before a hot spell arrives, check the forecast, make sure you have enough to drink and enough of your medicines, and move your medicines somewhere cool. The government's heatwave guidance puts the drinking rule simply: drink fluids regularly through the day, especially if you are physically active, and drink enough that your pee is a pale straw colour¹.

Most medicines should be kept below 25°C, somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight, and away from windowsills². Some need the fridge, and the packaging will say so⁴. Heat can spoil tablets, inhalers, patches, insulin and EpiPens, so they may not work as well⁵. That is why the storage check belongs on the list before the hot weather, not in the middle of it.

This page is a checklist you can print and work through. It covers what to have ready, how much to drink and what to avoid, how to store medicines safely, where medicines must never be left, and how to get rid of ones that are out of date. It is written for England, with notes where Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ.

The heatwave checklist: what to get ready before hot weather

Work through this list in the days before hot weather is forecast, and again at the start of summer. Each item is something you will want to have done before the heat arrives, not during it.

1. Check the forecast and the warnings. Listen to the news and check your local weather forecast so you know when hot weather is expected¹. Keep up to date with the latest forecast and any extreme heat warnings⁷.
2. Plan your supplies. Plan ahead so you have enough food, water and any medicines you need⁸.
3. Have enough drinking water in the house. Make sure you have enough drinking water, food and medicine that you do not have to go out in the heat⁹.
4. Check your medicines can be stored as the packaging says. Read the storage instructions on the box and check you can meet them at home¹⁰.
5. Order repeat prescriptions early. Make sure you have enough medication at home so you do not need to travel during the hottest hours¹¹.
6. Pack for going out. A water bottle, sunscreen and a sun hat, and possibly wet weather gear, depending on the forecast¹².
7. Keep medicines cool when you travel. When travelling, do not leave medicines in a parked car or a hot bag, and use a cool bag if needed⁵.
8. Know who to check on. Think about family, friends and neighbours who may need a hand before and during hot weather¹³.

The reason to do this early is that hot weather affects health most when people are not prepared, and it can also deplete water supplies¹⁴. A household that has water, medicines and a plan in place before the heat arrives has far less to do when the hot weather is expected².

Drink enough that your pee is a pale straw colour

The single most useful check on hydration is the colour of your urine. Official guidance is consistent: drink fluids regularly through the day, especially if you are physically active, and drink enough that your pee is a pale straw colour¹. NHS Inform suggests using a urine colour chart to check for signs of dehydration, with pale straw as the target¹⁵. The same rule appears in guidance for people supporting vulnerable adults, who should drink enough that their urine is a pale straw colour¹⁶.

What to drink matters as much as how much. Water, diluted squash or lower fat milk are good choices, and you should limit fruit juice, smoothies and sugary soft drinks¹⁷. Water or diluted sugar-free squash are good choices¹⁸. The National Heatwave Plan for England advises having plenty of cold drinks and avoiding excess alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks¹⁹.

• Good choices: water, diluted squash, lower fat milk¹⁷
• Limit: fruit juice, smoothies and sugary soft drinks, which can dehydrate the body further¹⁷
• Avoid excess: alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks¹⁹
• On journeys: take a refillable bottle and extra water¹⁷
• If you drink alcohol: alternate alcoholic drinks with water¹⁷

If you are fasting during a heatwave, drink enough to hydrate adequately before you fast and follow guidance on keeping cool; people with underlying health conditions should seek medical advice before fasting¹. If you are already showing signs of heat exhaustion, drink cool water, a sports or rehydration drink, or eat cold and water-rich foods like iced lollies²¹. Our pages on dehydration and how much to drink go further.

Keep most medicines below 25°C

Most medicines should be kept below 25°C, so store them somewhere cool, dry, out of direct sunlight and away from windowsills². Lancashire County Council's heat advice puts it the same way: keep medicines below 25°C or in the refrigerator, and read the storage instructions on the packaging². NHS Inform adds that you should continue taking all of your prescribed medicines unless a medical professional advises otherwise, and speak to your pharmacist if you have questions¹⁵.

Some medicines need the fridge. These include insulin and some liquid medicines, and they can be damaged if they get too warm⁵. Hospital guidance is clear that medicines which need to be stored in the fridge will be clearly marked as needing refrigeration⁴. Do not move a medicine into the fridge on a hunch: check the packaging first, and ask your pharmacist if it is unclear.

Some medicines also affect how your body manages heat. Read the leaflet that comes with your medication, or speak to your health care practitioner²⁰. Our page on medicines that raise the risk of illness in the heat explains more.

Medicines and children: storing them safely in the heat

Medicines should be stored safely out of reach of children, preferably in a locked cupboard, and kept in their original packaging with the product information and instructions for use⁶. If a medicine is stored in the fridge, keep it in a childproof medicine box⁶. Always follow the directions on packets and leaflets, never exceed the stated dose, keep medicines out of the sight and reach of children in a high lockable cupboard in a cool dry place, and check expiry dates regularly²².

Light, temperature and moisture can affect some medicines²³. Heat can spoil some medicines, which means they may not work as well, and this can affect tablets, inhalers, patches, insulin and EpiPens⁵. Some medications need to be stored at a stable temperature and should not get too hot; the information should be on the packaging, or ask your pharmacist²⁴.

If a child is very hot, sponge or spray them with cool water or use cold packs around the neck and armpits; wrapping them in a cool, wet sheet with a fan on them can help cool them safely²⁰. That is about cooling the child, not the medicine, but both belong in the same hot-weather routine. Our baby and child hot weather checklist covers the wider picture.

Where medicines must never be left on a hot day

The most important rule is the simplest: when travelling, do not leave medicines in a parked car or a hot bag, and use a cool bag if needed⁵. A car in summer heat gets far hotter than the air outside, and medicines left in one can be spoiled before you notice.

At home, keep medicines out of the places that swing in temperature. Room temperature medicines should be in regulated rooms and not exposed to temperature fluctuations, like conservatories on hot or cold days⁴. Avoid storage near sources of heat or humidity like kitchens, bathrooms, sinks or radiators⁴. A high cupboard in a cool, dry room is the usual answer.

That warning is about people and animals, but it comes from the same hot-weather guidance that covers medicines, and the same rule applies to anything heat-sensitive: a closed vehicle is not a safe place to leave it.

Getting rid of out-of-date medicines

Do not use a medicine past its use-by date, and do not put it in the bin. Take it to your pharmacy, where it can be disposed of safely²². Northern Ireland guidance says the same: return unused or out-of-date medicines to your pharmacy⁶. A Public Health Agency guide for Northern Ireland encourages those with quantities of out-of-date or no longer used prescribed medicines to dispose of them safely by returning them to their GP practice or local pharmacy²⁶.

• Check the date on every medicine you keep at home, and check regularly²²
• Do not use or bin anything past its use-by date²²
• Return it to a pharmacy, or to your GP practice or local pharmacy for larger quantities²⁶
• Ask the pharmacist if you are unsure whether a medicine is still usable²³

Clearing out old medicines before summer has a second benefit: it makes room in the cool cupboard for the medicines you actually need, and it means you are not hunting through expired boxes when you are unwell in the heat.

Keeping informed, and where to get help

Listen to the news and check your local weather forecast so you know when hot weather is expected¹. Keep up to date with the latest weather forecast and any extreme heat warnings⁷. The Met Office runs the Heat-Health Watch scheme, which local authorities point people to for what to do in a heatwave²⁵. Our page on heat-health alerts explains the levels and how to sign up.

If you are worried about your health in the heat, NHS 111 can advise on which service you need⁶. For signs of heat exhaustion, drink cool water or a rehydration drink and cool down²¹; our page on heat exhaustion and heatstroke sets out the signs and when to call 999. If you are supporting an older neighbour, our guide to checking on older and vulnerable neighbours has a simple routine.

For the wider picture, start with our heatwaves and drought household guide, and for the kit that helps in any emergency, see our emergency kit page.