The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office issued an amber heat-health alert (HHA) for five regions of England and a yellow alert for two regions on Thursday 26 June 20251. The amber alert covered the East Midlands, South East, South West, London and East of England from 12 noon on Friday 27 June to 6pm on Tuesday 1 July, with a yellow alert for Yorkshire and Humber and the West Midlands over the same period1.
The weather was forecast to get steadily warmer in the days after the announcement, peaking on Monday 1 July, when much of the country was expected to see temperatures in the early to mid-30s Celsius1. Under the Weather-Health Alert system, an amber alert means that weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, with some health impacts possible across the wider population and an increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases1.
| Alert level | Regions | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Amber | East Midlands, South East, South West, London, East of England | 12 noon Friday 27 June to 6pm Tuesday 1 July |
| Yellow | Yorkshire and Humber, West Midlands | Same period |
Dr Agostinho Sousa, Head of Extreme Events and Health Protection at UKHSA, said:
"We have already seen a spell of hot weather last week and temperatures are once again set to increase in the coming days, with central, southern and eastern areas of the country likely to see the biggest impacts."
The same page records later changes to the alert picture during summer 2025. On 30 June, UKHSA and the Met Office issued an amber alert for two further regions, the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, alongside the five already under amber since 26 June, with the amber alert remaining in place until 9am on Wednesday 2 July; a yellow alert was issued for the North West, which the page gives as in place until "9am Wednesday 2 June", a date that appears to be a typing error for 2 July1. Temperatures as high as 35°C were possible in some areas, with overnight temperatures of 20-22°C in parts of England1. On 11 July, an amber alert covered six regions from 12pm that day until 9am on Monday 14 July, with the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber remaining under yellow1. On 11 August, an amber alert was issued for five regions from 9am on Tuesday 12 August until 6pm on Wednesday 13 August, with a yellow alert for the North West and North East and yellow alerts remaining for the South West and Yorkshire and the Humber1.
Why it matters for households
Heat-health alerts are issued for England and signal that hot weather may affect health services and, at amber, the wider population, with older people and those with pre-existing health conditions at particular risk1. UKHSA advises households to keep homes cool by closing windows and curtains in rooms that face the sun; to cover up with suitable clothing, a hat and sunglasses, seek shade and apply sunscreen regularly when going outside; to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm; to plan physical activity for cooler times such as morning or evening; and to know the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heatstroke and what to do if they occur1. UKHSA also asks people to check on friends, family and neighbours who are more vulnerable, to make sure they are aware of forecasts and following the necessary advice1. The Heat-Health Alerts: Yellow, Amber and Red Explained guide sets out what each level means, and households can read about how to sign up for heat-health alerts; further material sits in the heatwaves and drought section.
What happens next
The GOV.UK page carrying these alerts is updated as new heat-health alerts are issued, and the UKHSA data dashboard gives the latest details on alerts currently in place and their duration1.
Heat-Health Alerts Explained
