UK Faces Calls for Legal Workplace Heat Caps
Climate experts are calling on the UK government to introduce legal maximum workplace temperatures to better protect workers from rising heat caused by climate change.
The recommendation comes from the government’s climate advisers, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), which warns that Britain is increasingly unprepared for extreme weather. According to the committee, the UK was designed for a cooler climate and must now adapt to hotter conditions.
Baroness Brown, chair of the CCC’s Adaptation Committee, criticised what she described as the “woeful” response of successive governments to climate risks. She argued that stronger protections are needed to safeguard workers and communities from both current and future climate threats.
She said setting temperature limits at work is a “sensible” measure, noting that high temperatures reduce productivity and increase the likelihood of mistakes and workplace accidents.
The committee is also encouraging greater use of air conditioning in hospitals, schools, and care homes, where vulnerable people face greater risks during heatwaves.
The calls come as the UK prepares for another period of hot weather, with forecasts predicting temperatures above 30°C in the coming days. Britain has experienced increasingly warm conditions in recent years, with four of the last five years ranking among the hottest ever recorded.
While the CCC has not proposed a specific legal temperature limit, it pointed to Spain’s regulations as an example. Spanish law sets indoor workplace limits of 27°C for desk-based work and 25°C for light physical labour.
The UK currently has no legal maximum workplace temperature. The Health and Safety Executive says a single upper limit is difficult because some industries, such as bakeries and foundries, naturally involve high heat.
Research from the Autonomy Institute suggests the lack of legal protections could become a growing problem. Its report estimates that by the end of the decade, around two-thirds of the UK workforce may face heatwave conditions above 35°C. It says roughly six million workers — particularly in construction, agriculture, and logistics — are already exposed to dangerous temperatures.
The institute recommends a legal working temperature threshold of 27°C, matching guidance from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) for strenuous jobs. The TUC has separately proposed a 30°C maximum for indoor workplaces and advises employers to begin reducing temperatures once they rise above 24°C.
Autonomy also argues workers should have the legal right to stop work during extreme heat and should be guaranteed access to shelter and regular rest breaks.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak backed the proposals, describing legal limits as a “simple, common-sense step” to keep workers safe as heatwaves become more frequent.
Responding to the recommendations, UK Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said the government recognises the growing impacts of climate change and will carefully review the committee’s advice while continuing efforts to address flooding, drought, and extreme heat
