Revealed: overwhelming majority of British people back maximum workplace temperature limit

• Successive heatwaves have brought home the reality of the climate crisis this summer, prompting calls for the government to implement a maximum workplace temperature
• A whopping 87% of people think the UK is not adequately prepared for extreme weather events such as heat and drought, including 81% of Reform and 84% of Conservative supporters  
• Alongside some of the UK’s biggest unions, Friends of the Earth is urging the government to set a new maximum temperature limit for safe working – which should form part of a wider effort to strengthen the country’s climate adaptation plans

As the UK experiences its fifth heatwave of 2026, fresh polling published today [1] reveals a resounding level of public support for the introduction of a new national maximum workplace temperature.  

Carried out by pollsters YouGov on behalf of the environmental justice organisation Friends of the Earth, the survey of 2,078 UK adults has found that a staggering 79% of people back the measure, with just 10% opposed (and 11% who don’t know).  

From bus drivers to medical professionals, teachers to hospitality staff, and across almost every sector of the British workforce, people have had to continue working through gruelling and hot conditions as this summer’s high temperatures have taken hold.  

This is despite the very real and serious threat that extreme heat poses to human health. At the time of writing, much of the country is covered by amber heat health alerts which are put in place when there is a heightened risk to health.  

Successive heatwaves since May have put the country on course for the highest number of heat-related deaths ever recorded, with interim figures suggesting nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the May and June heat alone. Of these, 42% are thought to be attributable to our rapidly warming climate.[2][3] 

Despite this, and against a backdrop of national water shortages and some of the most devastating wildfires the UK has ever seen, the new Burnham-led government has been astonishingly quiet in acknowledging the biting reality of the climate crisis. Yesterday, the Prime Minister finally called an emergency Cobra meeting to bring ministers together to discuss how to respond to this summer’s heat.  

In May this year, the government’s climate advisers – The Climate Change Committee (CCC) – said the government should follow the lead of other European countries by setting a maximum workplace temperature in order to protect people as heatwaves intensify. 

That’s why Friends of the Earth is supporting the call led by some of the UK’s biggest unions to implement a new maximum indoor workplace temperature, which would see protections put in place that prevent workers from operating in hotter conditions that increase the risk of harm to human health.  

To give employers time to implement necessary cooling upgrades, such as introducing shade or fitting air conditioning, the measures will need to be introduced within a realistic timeframe.  

And significant government investment will be required so that high risk settings, such as care homes and hospitals, can stay cool.  

Research produced by Friends of the Earth last year found that there are nearly 10,000 care homes and 1,012 hospitals in some of the most heat-exposed neighbourhoods across the country, demonstrating just how vital it is that key public services are prioritised for such investment.  

Rosie Downes, head of campaigns at Friends of the Earth, said: 

“This summer’s heat may seem exceptional, and terrifying records are being broken - from monthly temperature highs to what will likely be the most heat-related deaths ever recorded. But as our planet warms and climate breakdown intensifies, it will be remembered as increasingly unremarkable. This should be a sobering thought for us all. 

“The government can’t afford to bury its head in the sand any longer, the wolf is already at the door. Setting a maximum workplace temperature is a much-needed way to protect people from the impacts of our warming climate. But it must come as part of a wider drive to strengthen the UK’s climate adaptation plans, alongside cutting emissions to help prevent the worst of climate breakdown.  

“With the country baking in yet more suffocating heat and drought-induced food shortages a growing threat, it’s also remarkable the new Prime Minister’s government has barely mentioned climate change in recent weeks. It shouldn’t need to be said that this should be treated as a national priority. It’s good that ministers are finally coming together to discuss how our country can best respond.”

UNISON head of policy, Sampson Low, said:  

“With heatwaves becoming more common, organisations and workplaces need to adapt. It’s time for clear temperature limits when employers must intervene to protect staff. Indoor and covered areas need to be kept comfortable and sensible bosses should allow employees to work flexibly to make use of the cooler parts of the day.”

TUC general secretary, Paul Nowak, said:

“As the climate crisis makes heatwaves more common, the UK needs to adapt. We need to protect workers from the dangers of extreme heat. And our businesses and services must be more resilient and capable of operating safely in heatwaves.  

"That means new laws on maximum working temperatures. This will incentive employers to make improvements to workplaces to keep them cool and safe. And we must continue with climate action to prevent global heating becoming more extreme, with greater costs to our lives.”  

"Unions have a vital role to play. Collective bargaining gives workers and their unions the platform to negotiate sensible heat protections directly with employers on behalf of the workforce." 

Additional quotes from UK unions, including the National Education Union, can be viewed in the notes section.  

The polling also reveals how the public views the government’s broader efforts in adapting to climate change. When asked whether the country is adequately prepared for weather extremes like heat, drought, flooding and storms, the strength of public feeling was evident, with 87% of people responding the UK is unprepared. This includes 81% of people who would vote for Reform UK if an election were held today, and 84% of Conservative supporters.  

Recent reports of dangerously hot conditions faced by those working and living in buildings not designed to withstand high temperatures – including hospitals, schools and care homes – warnings of food shortages as the nation’s farmers face what may be the worst harvest on record, headlines that yet more areas of the UK are experiencing drought, and gaps in emergency planning as wildfires have torn across the country, have all brought this into sharp focus.  

This lack of preparedness is underscored by the inadequacy of the UK’s National Adaptation Plan, which the environmental group is taking the government to the European Court of Human Rights over. Protecting lives and safeguarding our British way of life relies on ministers going back to the drawing board and coming up with a much stronger plan. One that will make the UK more resilient to the worsening weather extremes we can expect in years to come.  

The polling shows that this is something the public cares about as much as focusing on reducing our planet-warming emissions, with the majority (52%) of people saying they’d prefer the government to tackle climate adaptation and efforts to cut carbon emissions simultaneously, compared to prioritising one or the other.  

The polling also lays bare the impact that this summer’s consecutive heatwaves have had on people’s worry for the health and wellbeing of loved ones, with nearly half of respondents (49%) saying they have become more concerned for the welfare of friends and family. This compares to just 1% who feel less concerned and 45% who say they feel no difference. However, this includes 19% who say they were concerned about the health and wellbeing of loved ones already. 

ENDS 

Notes to editors: 

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2,078 UK adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 30 - 31 July 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). The full YouGov survey results are available online.  

2. Analysis by Imperial College London last month estimated that there were about 2,700 heat-related deaths linked to the May and June heatwaves. 42% of these are thought to be attributable to climate change. 

3. A separate rapid early assessment produced by the UK Health Security Agency last month estimated that there were about 2,877 heat-related deaths in May and June this year. 

4. Additional quotes from unions: 

Daniel Kebede, General Secretary of the National Education Union, said:

“NEU is not at all surprised to learn that a majority of British people back the introduction of a maximum working temperature. Quite apart from the health impacts, it is impossible to deliver a quality education in extreme heat, and very few schools are geared up to operate in such difficult conditions. We cannot expect schools to experience this year after year. Legislating for the introduction of a maximum working temperature, within a realistic timeframe, would give impetus to the prioritisation of cooling measures across workplaces, including schools. However, with money so tight, the government needs to step up and ensure all schools have the funding they need to become climate resilient.”

Sarah Woolley, general secretary of the Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union, said: 

“Working people should not have to choose between earning a living and protecting their health. As extreme heat becomes more frequent and dangerous, the government must act and introduce a legally enforceable maximum workplace temperature. The public clearly understands the need for action, and employers need clear, enforceable rules to protect workers from heat-related illness and death. A safe workplace is a basic right, not something that should depend on how hot an employer thinks is ‘too hot’.” 

Nicholas Marro, culture group secretary at the Commercial and Public Services Union, said: 

"Too many workers are being left without adequate protection during periods of extreme heat, which are becoming more frequent and severe because of climate change. That is why our members at the V&A Museum are balloting for industrial action over pay and health and safety concerns right now, which includes working in extreme heat. Our members will continue to fight for a safe workplace, but the government must do more. The UK needs maximum working temperature legislation to ensure the health and safety for all."

Jamie McGovern, national health and safety lead at the Communication Workers Union, said: 

“The breadth of evidence already available from trade unions, academia, occupational health bodies and regulators identifies that occupational high heat and rising temperatures can no longer be treated as seasonal, it is predictable, it is worsening and we need new or updated protective legislation that reflects this worsening change.  

“There is no doubting the fact that employers have a positive legal duty to identify and understand reasonably foreseeable risks arising from their operations – including robustly managing extreme temperature risks.  

“This is the premise upon which campaigns must now insist on new minimum and maximum temperatures at workplaces, be they indoors or outdoors together with appropriate mitigations including stopping of the work where necessary. We welcome the work done by Friends of the Earth in highlighting the fact that this is indeed now a need of the many and not an ask by the few.”

5. Friends of the Earth is taking the government to the European Court of Human Rights over its inadequate National Adaptation Plan – more information can be viewed on the Friends of the Earth website.