Why is UK heat so bad? 8 reasons hot weather feels worse

Created 18 June 2026

Why does UK heat feel hotter than it is?

When temperatures rise, we often think of barbecues, beaches and relaxing outdoors. But it can also mean sleepless nights, overheating homes and everyday activities like travelling to work becoming difficult.

You may find yourself struggling in conditions that felt easier to cope with abroad -making UK heat feel more intense than the temperature suggests.

But you’re not imagining it. Evidence shows that the UK can feel particularly uncomfortable during periods of hot weather, and there are several reasons why.

UK homes are built to trap heat

Homes in the UK are traditionally built to retain heat, helping us stay warm during colder months. But this works against us during heatwaves and makes homes harder to cool down.  

Because buildings retain heat, temperatures build up over several days. This can leave homes feeling increasingly uncomfortable, particularly at night, making it harder to sleep and recover and increasing the overall impact of heat.

British Red Cross research shows that 45% of people struggle to prevent their home from overheating during heatwaves, rising to 58% for those living in top floor flats.

This puts a strain on your body, which is working hard to regulate your temperature, leading to fatigue, poor sleep and sometimes heat-related health problems like dehydration.

It’s not just homes. Much of the UK’s infrastructure, including transport systems and workplaces, is also not designed to release heat, meaning environments stay warm for longer.

Despite this, behaviour doesn’t always align with guidance. Many people do not take simple steps like closing curtains or limiting hot air entering during the warmest parts of the day, further increasing discomfort and making heat feel harder to manage.

Read our tips for how to keep your house cool in a heatwave.

There’s very little air conditioning in the UK

In countries with warmer climates, air conditioning is common in homes, workplaces and public transport, allowing people to move between cooler environments and avoid prolonged exposure to heat, minimising the impact on their daily activities and reducing how intense the heat feels.

This kind of infrastructure is limited in the UK. Cooling systems are far less common, meaning people are more exposed to sustained high temperatures, both indoors and outside, making the heat feel more constant and difficult to escape.

Not even electric fans are used as much as you would expect. Our research shows only 46% of people will use an electric fan or air conditioning unit to keep cool during a heatwave.

Cities make it feel much hotter (urban heat island effect)

Like our homes, cities and built-up urban areas in the UK have not been designed for hot temperatures and as a result are particularly susceptible to overheating, which can make heat feel significantly more intense in urban areas, reaching temperatures up to 10C hotter than surrounding rural areas.

This is caused by the urban heat island effect, where surfaces like buildings, roads and pavements absorb heat during the day and release it slowly over time.

As a result, urban environments remain hotter for longer, particularly at night, and can create localised “hotspots” where the temperature feels even higher than forecast.

UK heat doesn’t cool down at night

One of the key reasons the UK can feel so uncomfortable is the lack of overnight cooling, meaning there is little relief from the heat.

We are increasingly experiencing “tropical nights”, where temperatures stay above 20C, with five alone in 2020.

No drop in overnight temperatures mean the heat that has built up during the day in homes and buildings doesn’t get a chance to cool and so will build over consecutive days, making heatwaves feel more intense. This can disrupt sleep and affect health and wellbeing as the body doesn’t get a chance to recover.

This is particularly strongly felt in cities and urban areas where stored heat is released overnight, making it feel like there is no relief from the heat at all.

For steps you can take to help minimise the effects of nighttime temperatures, follow our advice on keeping cool at night.

Humidity makes UK heat feel more uncomfortable

Uk heat is not just hot – it can feel oppressive, which is why it can feel worse than it does in drier climates.

Hot weather affects air quality by increasing ozone and other pollutants, which can create smog. This makes breathing more difficult and causes discomfort, particularly for those with respiratory conditions.

At the same time, hot weather makes it harder for the body to maintain a stable internal temperature. When cooling mechanisms such as sweating become less effective, people can feel more uncomfortable even at lower temperatures.

Combined with poor air circulation and retained heat, this gives UK heat its heavy, uncomfortable feel.

The UK isn’t designed or culturally prepared for heat

Historically the UK has been built for a cooler climate, so infrastructure, behaviours and daily routines are not designed around prolonged periods of heat, which makes heat feel more disruptive and harder to manage.

it can be challenging to adapt especially when it would require changes in the homes we live in , infrastructure and even how we live our lives.

Evidence shows that many people do not adjust their behaviour during hot weather:

• Only around a third reduce strenuous activity during the hottest parts of the day
• Many do not adapt clothing or routines

This can make it feel like everyday activities are suddenly much harder because we’re trying to carry on with our normal routine instead of adapting - increasing both discomfort and health risks, including dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

Follow our heatwave first aid advice to stay safe in the sun.

There’s nowhere to escape the heat

Many people are unable to access cool spaces during high temperatures, which makes the heat feel more intense and unavoidable, with research showing only 19% of people spend time in cool public spaces. 

For many people this isn’t even an option open to them with 1 in 3 people saying there are no cool public spaces such as shaded parks near where they live, making it hard to escape the sun and cool down.

Use our top tips to beat the heat if you need to cool down during hot weather.

Heatwaves hit fast and people aren’t prepared

Being prepared for a heatwave will impact how easily you are able to manage it and, in the UK, research shows that this is a problem. Heatwaves often develop quickly, giving people limited time to prepare. And despite warning systems, many people are not fully aware of how to respond:

• Two in five adults say they have never seen information on how to protect themselves during a heatwave
• Four out of 10 view heatwaves as a positive event

This gap between awareness and action increases the likelihood of heat-related impacts on people’s lives, health and wellbeing, contributing to why heat can feel harder to cope with.

“Many people trust the Met Office as an authoritative source and believe heat warnings, but don’t have the confidence to act or know what actions they can take.”  Head of Civil Contingencies Services, Met Office.

Why is UK heat so bad compared to other countries?

Countries with warmer climates are better adapted to high temperatures. Buildings are designed to stay cool, air conditioning is widely available, and daily routines often avoid the hottest parts of the day.

In contrast, the UK is still adapting - meaning both infrastructure and behaviours can make heat feel more intense.

Is the UK getting hotter?

Research shows the UK is already around 1.2°C warmer than pre-industrial levels, and heatwaves are becoming more frequent, longer and more intense.

This means the risks associated with extreme heat are increasing, and adapting to these changes is becoming more important. The heat also affects people in different ways with certain groups in society more adversely impacted. 

Explore the impact of climate change

Make sure you're prepared for the heat

While we can't control everything in a heatwave, there are things we can do to minimise the impact on our everyday lives.

Follow our heatwaves advice and be prepared:

• How to keep cool at night
• How to keel your house cool
• Advice for vulnerable groups 
• All heatwaves advice

You can also help educate others about heatwaves and how they may impact our lives using our Climate change teaching resources.

This page was created by the British Red Cross content team based on British Red Cross research Feeling the heat: heatwave impact in the UK and the Public perceptions of heatwaves policy brief, both published 2021.