The UK Health Security Agency added a new version of the Adverse Weather and Health Plan (AWHP) to its GOV.UK publication page on 20 March 2025, according to the page's update history1. The plan applies to England1.
The AWHP "aims to protect individuals and communities from the health effects of adverse weather and to build community resilience", the page states1. It brings together and builds on the previous Heatwave Plan for England and the Cold Weather Plan for England, and is underpinned by supporting evidence, guidance and support materials, and the Weather-Health Alerts for heat and cold, developed in partnership with the Met Office1. A joint statement on the plan was developed with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, the Met Office and the Local Government Association, and is available on the NHS England website1.
The page's update history records the following changes in the period around the new version1:
| Date | Update |
|---|---|
| 20 March 2025 | Added new version of Adverse Weather and Health Plan |
| 4 April 2025 | Added new version of user guide |
| 15 April 2025 | Added links to flood-health action cards in Appendix 4 of the Adverse Weather and Health Plan 2026 to 2026 |
| 11 December 2025 | Added annual report for 2024 to 2025 |
| 12 December 2025 | Removed the Adverse Weather and Health Plan 2023 to 2024 as it has been superseded by the 2024 to 2025 report |
| 25 March 2026 | Added Adverse Weather and Health Plan 2026 to 2027 |
| 22 April 2026 | Fixed link to user guide |
The page lists the Adverse Weather and Health Plan 2026 to 2027 (ref GOV-20651, 82 pages), an easy read version (ref GOV-16177, 21 pages), the annual report for 2024 to 2025 (ref GOV-19904, 42 pages) and the supporting evidence document (ref GOV-16013, 83 pages)1. The page gives 27 April 2023 as its first publication date and 22 April 2026 as its last update1. The update entry for 15 April 2025 refers to the "Adverse Weather and Health Plan 2026 to 2026", which does not match the 2026 to 2027 title used elsewhere on the page; the page does not explain the discrepancy1.
"The Adverse Weather and Health Plan aims to protect individuals and communities from the health effects of adverse weather and to build community resilience."
Why it matters for households
The plan sets out how the public sector, independent sector, voluntary sector, health and social care organisations and local communities work together on planning and response to adverse weather, according to the page1. For households in England, the Weather-Health Alerts for heat and cold that sit under the plan are developed with the Met Office1. The page does not set out new advice for individual households in the update entry itself, and no changes to alert thresholds or household guidance are reported there1.
What happens next
The page records that the 2023 to 2024 plan was removed in December 2025 as superseded by the 2024 to 2025 annual report, and that the 2026 to 2027 plan was added in March 20261. No further scheduled updates are listed1. The page directs users of assistive technology who need an accessible format of the easy read or supporting evidence documents to email publications@ukhsa.gov.uk1. Background on how the UK prepares for emergencies is set out in the UK preparedness hub.
