In the first six months of 2026, the number of children in Wales and the rest of the UK exposed to extreme heatwaves has already exceeded the total in any previous calendar year since 1995, according to a new analysis from Save the Children.
Data published this week shows that following early summer heatwaves, 84% of children in Wales experienced extreme heatwaves in the first half of 2026. The total was over 10 million children in the UK. [1]
With temperatures having reached 33°C in Bute Park, Cardiff, in May, more than 2,700 people in England and Wales died with a likely link to the heatwaves. Thousands of school children across Wales were affected by closures, and there are reports of heat exhaustion in newborns and wildfires that have been burning across Wales. [2] [3]
The school summer holidays are adding pressure to families experiencing the heat. Families recently surveyed by Save the Children found the costs of essentials needed to protect children from heat can be out of reach for some on low incomes, with one in five (20%) of parents in Wales saying they would struggle to buy even basic summer essentials such as suncream and sunhats for their children.
For families on the lowest incomes, hot weather becomes more challenging as they are likely to be in smaller homes with less access to outdoor space, or are not in a position to spend money on days out needed to keep children cool in the summer holidays. [4]
Head of Save the Children Cymru, Melanie Simmonds, said:
“Children living in low-income families are facing the most challenging conditions and are most likely to be exposed to extreme heat, air pollution, and food insecurity.
“No child should be missing out on their education because their classroom is too hot or the journey to school is unsafe.
“For many families, access to nature and safe play areas to keep cool are out of reach.”
Lily, 15, Wales, Save the Children Youth Advisor:
“The extreme heat has made it so that I am too uncomfortable to sleep and my appetite has worsened greatly.”
Save the Children analysed satellite imagery of surface temperatures covering every part of the world. The aid agency defined an extreme heatwave as three consecutive days experiencing a temperature in the top 1% of all those recorded in that location in the previous 30 years.
The data also shows a record-breaking six months in Western Europe, with 57 million children being exposed to extreme heatwaves.
The number of children impacted by extreme heatwaves from January to July 2026 was already three times the number in the whole of 2025, and more than any year since 2003.
Extreme heatwaves are unfolding across the world. Globally, 132 million children and over 631 million people have experienced heatwaves in the first half of 2026 with numbers expected to increase in the coming months.
Save the Children is calling on all countries, including Wales, to support school safety and strengthen the resilience of essential services critical for children’s development and wellbeing in the face of the climate emergency.
It is also calling on the UK Government to protect children’s rights by showing credible climate leadership at home and abroad. Policies such as fossil fuel expansion are incompatible with the UK’s international commitment to the temperature goal of 1.5°C and pose significant risks to children's health and wellbeing.
Save the Children is working with partners and communities in the UK to help prepare children and families in the event of extreme weather, with a particular focus on low-income families who we know are being hit the hardest by climate change.
ENDS
For more information, please contact Angharad Prys on [email protected] / 07900 981158 or [email protected] / 020 7012 6841
Sources:
[1] resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/children-exposed-to-extreme-heatwaves-2026-update
[2] Thousands will have died in UK's unprecedented May and June heatwaves - BBC News
[3] Met Office May 2026 Temperatures Verified
[4] No Summer Break From Poverty: New poll reveals pressures on families | Save the Children UK
About Save the Children Cymru:
One-third of children in Wales are currently affected by poverty. Since the 1930s, Save the Children has worked alongside Welsh communities to ensure every child has the support they need to grow, learn, and thrive. Our vision is a Wales where all children are free from poverty and have what they need to grow and succeed, supported by strong, connected communities that listen to and act on children’s voices.