Britain’s weather is undergoing a historic transformation. The Met Office says 2025 was the country’s warmest year since records began in 1884. The four most recent years are now among Britain’s five warmest on record.
The latest decade was 1.33°C warmer than the 1961–1990 average. In parts of southeast England, the average hottest day has become more than 4.5°C hotter, while London now experiences over four times as many days above 30°C.
Annual temperatures have been rising by approximately 0.25°C per decade since the 1980s. Heatwaves during May and June were associated with an estimated 2,700 heat-related deaths, with global warming contributing to about 42% of them.
Weather once considered exceptional is becoming ordinary. Governments must stop treating the climate crisis as a distant threat. Rapid emission reductions, heat-protection measures and climate-resilient public infrastructure are essential to protect people—particularly the elderly, workers, low-income households and others most exposed to extreme heat.
