Hot weather – information for councils

The Heatwave Plan for England is intended to protect the population from heat-related harm to health. Advice has been updated to include risks and precautions in relation to COVID-19.


The Government's Heatwave plan for England aims to prepare for, alert people to, and prevent, the major avoidable effects on health during periods of severe heat in England.

It recommends a series of steps to reduce the risks to health from prolonged exposure to severe heat for:

  • the NHS, local authorities, social care, and other public agencies
  • professionals working with people at risk
  • individuals, local communities and voluntary groups

The heatwave plan has been published annually since 2004, following the devastating panEuropean heatwave in 2003. This year’s plan builds on many years of experience of developing and improving the ability of the health sector and its partners to deal with significant periods of hot weather.

Heatwave Plan for England 2022

The Heatwave Plan for England aims to prepare, alert and prevent people from the preventable health impacts from severe heat in England. The content of the Heatwave Plan for England generally remains unchanged for summer 2022 in comparison to 2021.

The resources include guidance for care home managers and staff, as well as health and social care professionals.

Documents supporting the Heatwave Plan for England were previously published by Public Health England and can still be accessed. These include: