Do you live in an extreme heat hotspot?

A silhouette of Tower Bridge in London with the sun and an orange sky

Our summers are getting dangerously hot. 2022 saw new records: the Met Office issued its first-ever red warning for extreme heat, and 7 places across the UK recorded temperatures of 40°C or higher. Meanwhile 2025 had the third-warmest June globally.

Yet with extreme heat only set to increase, the UK is unprepared to deal with it – and that’s according to the government’s own climate advisors. This is a threat to us all, particularly those most at risk from heat like the elderly, young children and hospital patients.

That’s why we’ve identified the areas in England most exposed to extreme heat. Within these, we’ve also counted the number of care homes, nurseries and hospitals. Use our map to see if your area is dangerously hot. And find out how we can beat the heat together.

This map is interactive, but we're aware that it's not perfect on mobile. We recommend opening the map on another device or visiting Mapstack.

Extreme weather is threatening people's lives and livelihoods

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Who's most at risk?

A map of England, coloured orange and purple to represent extreme heat. The text reads "4,715 neighbourhoods most exposed".

4,715 neighbourhoods in England are most exposed to extreme heat. Together, these neighbourhoods cover a third of the country's area.

An image of people in a park, coloured orange and purple to represent extreme heat. The text reads "1,920 neighbourhoods of particular concern".

1,920 of these neighbourhoods are of particular concern due to various factors (more on these below). People of colour are over-represented in areas of concern at twice the national average, and almost 3 million disabled people live in these neighbourhoods.

An image of an older woman walking down a corridor using a frame, coloured orange and purple to represent extreme heat. The text reads "9,589 care homes".

9,589 care homes are in neighbourhoods most exposed to extreme heat. Care homes and their residents are particularly prone to overheating, with over-75s having very high mortality rates from extreme heat.

An image of children playing with a parachute, coloured orange and purple to represent extreme heat. The text reads "10,064 nurseries".

10,064 nurseries are in neighbourhoods most exposed to extreme heat. Under-5s are particularly at risk from warmer temperatures because their bodies are less able to regulate heat.

An image of a woman lying in a hospital bed, coloured orange and purple to represent extreme heat. The text reads "1,012 hospitals".

1,012 hospitals are in neighbourhoods most exposed to extreme heat. In 2022-23, the NHS recorded 6,822 instances of hospitals overheating in England.

What makes people more at risk from extreme heat?

Of the 4,715 neighbourhoods most exposed to extreme heat, 1,920 are most at risk due to:

Exposed housing. Flats, caravans and poorly insulated homes are more likely to overheat. Renters and those with low incomes are also less able to adapt their homes for extreme heat.
Demographics. Over-75s and under-5s are particularly at risk from heat. People living in neighbourhoods with low life expectancies are more likely to have poor health, and many physical and mental health conditions can worsen due to extreme heat.
Lack of cooling. It’s harder for those with low incomes to travel somewhere cooler or access facilities with air conditioning. Areas lacking green spaces like parks or blue spaces like rivers and fountains don’t benefit from their natural cooling effects.
Lack of access. People who live further away from hospitals are more at risk. And areas where many people don’t speak English as a first language may miss out on heat warnings or advice.

How can we beat the heat?

The UK urgently needs to adapt to climate impacts. And the areas and services we’ve identified here must be a priority. The UK also needs to cut emissions faster, as they’re fuelling the climate crisis which is causing more extreme weather. Our government should:

Produce a new national adaptation plan to protect people, especially those most at risk, from climate impacts like extreme heat.
Invest £1 billion a year in heat adaptation, particularly for care homes, nurseries and hospitals.
Fund building retrofits that improve insulation and ventilation.
Increase green space and water bodies.
Create networks of cool spaces – like community halls – freely open to the public during heatwaves.
Train staff in care homes, nurseries and hospitals on cooling measures.

Read our full research and policy recommendations.