Ageing and inequality put more people at risk from the climate crisis
New data highlights the threat to older people from extreme temperatures. The climate crisis and increasing frequency of extreme heat mean this risk is growing, but vulnerability is shaped by more than just age.
Our External Affairs Manager for Ageism and Inequality, Caitlin Rollison, looks at how age and inequality shape risk from extreme temperatures and what a policy response will need to have in common.
Data published at the end of last month shows that extremes of hot and cold weather were associated with an estimated 180,000 deaths in England and Wales between 1988 and 2025. The hottest weather was associated with around 40,000 deaths and the coldest with around 139,000 but the proportion of deaths associated with hot weather is rising.
This recent data release shows that extremes of temperature do not impact everyone equally: people aged 65+ are the most vulnerable. This blog explores what the data tells us about the impact of weather extremes on older people, how inequality shapes risk, and what the climate crisis and ageing population have in common.
What does the data tell us about the impact of extreme temperatures on older people?
Older people are disproportionately vulnerable to both hot and cold extremes of temperature because our ability to thermoregulate declines with age. Last month’s data release showed that that people aged 65 years and over have higher vulnerability to both the hottest and coldest temperatures.
This is not surprising, but there are two important things to note here.
The first is that although older people are more vulnerable to extremes of temperature, it doesn’t mean that these deaths are not preventable. The impact of cold weather on older people is well-known. Centre for Ageing Better research from 2024 found that 4.5 million people aged 50 and over in England with a health condition aggravated by the cold are living in a home with one or more serious problems. Risk from heat is a growing issue as the frequency and severity of heatwaves increases due to climate change. The Climate Change Committee has already called for air conditioning in hospitals and care homes within the next ten years.
The second is that no age breakdown is available for people aged 65+, a common issue when it comes to data on older people. This obscures likely differences in the impact of extreme temperatures between different age groups within the 65+ category.
For example, previous data suggests people aged 80+ may be more vulnerable than people in their 60s and 70s, but last month’s data release doesn’t allow us to investigate whether this is the case. Even more concerningly, previous global modelling on the growing impact of extreme heat applied heat limits for healthy young adults to all age groups, overlooking the greater vulnerability in older age.
This isn’t just missing data; it is a failure to understand older people’s lives and risk. This will hinder the ability of policymakers to design effective policies for different age groups and, ultimately, contribute to risk that could be prevented.
Inequality shapes risk
Previous research shows that although people aged 65+ face the greatest risk from temperature extremes as a group, vulnerability is not evenly distributed. Some groups are at greater risk than others because exposure and ability to adapt are shaped by intersecting factors such as underlying health conditions, housing quality, neighbourhood environment and deprivation.
A study on heat risk published in the British Medical Journal found that people of Black or Asian ethnicity faced substantially higher risk than White people and that people in the two most deprived deciles in the Index of Multiple Deprivation had the highest risk of heat-related death. Similarly, analysis from Carbon Brief found that neighbourhoods in England that are home to the most people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds are 15 times more likely to face extreme heat than the least diverse areas. Within the 4.5 million people living in unsuitable housing, Black people, people from minoritised ethnic groups and people with a disability are more likely to be at risk.
This increased risk reflects wider socioeconomic factors and systemic inequalities. People from Black and minoritised ethnic groups are disproportionately exposed to risk from extreme temperatures because people from these backgrounds are more likely to live in deprived areas in the first place.
The climate crisis and our ageing society are similar policy challenges
The UK’s population is ageing as climate breakdown intensifies. From housing to healthcare, policies aimed at helping people age well will need to consider the changing climate and increased likelihood of extreme weather events. Likewise, climate adaptation and mitigation programmes will need to consider the needs of older people. For example, local case studies show older people may be less likely to use retrofit measures designed to help keep homes cooler and less likely to respond to flood warnings.
Neither the ageing population nor the climate crisis are sudden, unexpected shocks. Both have been evident for decades, and both require a long-term, consistent and coordinated government response.
Both also highlight how inequality shapes risk. Within any population ageing strategy or climate policy, national or local, policymakers will need to bear in mind that factors such as deprivation, race and ethnicity mean that some people are more vulnerable than others.
A Commissioner for Older People and Ageing is one way in which the government could address the complexity of an ageing population. A Commissioner would act independent champion for older people working across government departments and be able to work directly with marginalised and vulnerable groups.
The recently released data does not include this summer’s heat waves. Estimates from the UK Health Security Agency suggest nearly 3,000 people died in May and June alone, already almost double the total for the whole of summer 2025. Next year’s ‘supersize’ El Niño will almost certainly result in further extreme weather.
Planning for an ageing population in an increasingly extreme climate is only going to become more urgent – now more than ever the government needs to put ageing at the top of the political agenda.
The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee is currently accepting evidence for an inquiry into climate adaptation including which communities and groups are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and how adaptation policy can better protect vulnerable communities.
Disability Rights UK are currently running a survey on experiences of heatwaves. This survey is accepting responses until the end of October 2026.