Health · England
Keeping cool in hot weather
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This guide is for adults.
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Tell people what you need
Tell someone if you feel too hot, thirsty or unwell.
Use your usual way to communicate.
Agree who will check you are comfortable.
Keep your home cooler
Shade windows that get direct sunlight.
Open windows when it is cooler outside, if safe.
Rest in a cooler room if you can.
Use fans carefully
Use a fan for room cooling only below 35°C.
Avoid pointing it directly at your body.
Ask for help if your room stays too hot.
Cool your body
Choose light, comfortable clothes.
Use shade and plan activities for cooler times.
A cool wash or damp cloth may help.
Drink safely
Ask for help to reach and use your drinks.
Follow your swallowing plan.
If your doctor limits drinks, ask about your hot weather plan.
Check medicines and support
Ask your pharmacist about medicines and hot weather.
Do not stop medicines without professional advice.
Agree what help you need if power or water fails.
Feeling unwell in the heat
Dizziness, headache, sickness or heavy sweating may mean you are too hot.
Move somewhere cool and cool your skin with water.
Drink only if fully awake and able to swallow safely.
Call 111 if you need advice or symptoms are worsening.
Heatstroke is an emergency
Call 999 immediately for confusion, collapse or a seizure after overheating.
Do not wait 30 minutes.
Also call 999 if still unwell after 30 minutes of cooling and fluids.
While help is coming
Stay with the person.
Use cool water or a cool wet sheet.
Follow the 999 call handler’s advice.
Do not give drinks if drowsy, unconscious or unable to swallow safely.
What you can do next
Plan the help you need to stay cool.
Call 999 immediately if you think someone has heatstroke.
Read UKHSA advice about hot weather Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- UKHSA: staying safe in hot weather Web page
Preparation, personal cooling and recognising illness from heat.
- UKHSA: keep cool at home checklist Web page
Practical steps for windows, shade, fans and cooler rooms.
- NHS: heat exhaustion and heatstroke Web page
Cooling, NHS 111 advice and when to call 999 immediately.
- British Heart Foundation: hot weather and your heart Web page
Advice about heart conditions, medicine storage and prescribed fluid restrictions.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Keeping cool and safe in hot weather
Keep your body and home cooler, plan the support you need and recognise heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
Adults · England · General information for individuals, families and supporters
Plan around the person
Ask how the person experiences heat and how they show thirst, discomfort or illness. Agree help with drinks, clothing, shade and moving to a cooler place. Check in as planned rather than waiting for them to ask. Adapt support to their health, movement, communication and sensory needs. Use the weather forecast to prepare; heat can affect people of any age.
Keep your home cooler
Shade windows that receive direct sunlight. Keep windows closed while the air outside is hotter, then open them when it is cooler outside and safe to do so. Turn off unnecessary lights and appliances. Move to a cooler room for rest or sleep if possible. A nearby cool public building may help if you can reach it safely. Report persistent overheating to your housing provider and ask about practical changes.
Use fans and cooling equipment carefully
For ordinary room cooling, UKHSA advises using an electric fan only when air temperature is below 35°C and avoiding aiming it directly at the body. A fan alone may not keep someone safe in very hot conditions. Check equipment instructions and keep cables and water safely apart. If reduced feeling makes temperatures hard to judge, ask a health professional before using ice or cooling packs against the body. Emergency cooling is described below.
Choose comfortable ways to cool down
Wear light, loose clothing and seek shade. Plan exertion and journeys for cooler times where possible. Reduce direct sun exposure, especially from 11am to 3pm, and use suitable sun protection. Offer a cool wash or damp cloth if comfortable. Explain before touching the person or changing clothing. Help them choose safe ways to cool down that suit their movement and sensory needs.
Make drinks accessible and follow your plan
Offer drinks regularly and help the person reach and use their preferred cup. Dehydration means losing more fluid than you take in. Thirst, a dry mouth, dark urine or peeing less can be warning signs. Follow any swallowing plan, including prescribed drink texture. If fluids are restricted, ask the clinical team how to manage hot weather; do not replace their plan with a fixed drinking target. Seek urgent GP or NHS 111 advice for concerning dehydration, such as persistent dizziness on standing or much less urine.
Check medicines and health support
Some medicines and health conditions increase heat risk. Ask your pharmacist or prescriber about your own situation and follow storage instructions on the packaging. Continue prescribed medicines unless a clinician tells you otherwise. Agree who to contact if you become unwell, and plan for power or water disruption if you depend on equipment or support. Sudden changes in behaviour or communication need attention; check how the person is feeling.
Act promptly for heat exhaustion
Signs include unusual tiredness, dizziness, headache, nausea, cramps, heavy sweating or strong thirst. Move into a cool place, remove unnecessary clothing and cool the skin with water. Offer cool fluids if fully awake and able to swallow safely, following any clinical plan. Stay with the person. Call NHS 111 if symptoms are worsening, hard to manage or you need advice. Use 999 straight away for the emergency signs below.
Call 999 for heatstroke
Call 999 immediately if an overheated person becomes confused, loses coordination, has a seizure, collapses or has a very high temperature or fast breathing. Do not wait 30 minutes or for every sign to appear. Also call 999 if still unwell after 30 minutes of rest, active cooling and fluids. While waiting, use cool water on the skin or a cool wet sheet and follow the call handler’s instructions. Do not give drinks to someone who is drowsy, unconscious or unable to swallow safely.
Words you could use
“Please help me stay cool, follow my drinking and swallowing plan, and recognise when I need urgent help.”
More useful links
- UKHSA: staying safe in hot weather Web page
Preparation, personal cooling and recognising illness from heat.
- UKHSA: keep cool at home checklist Web page
Practical steps for windows, shade, fans and cooler rooms.
- NHS: heat exhaustion and heatstroke Web page
Cooling, NHS 111 advice and when to call 999 immediately.
- British Heart Foundation: hot weather and your heart Web page
Advice about heart conditions, medicine storage and prescribed fluid restrictions.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 9 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- UKHSA: staying safe in hot weather Web page
Individual risk, shade, activity, medicines and preparation.
- UKHSA: keep cool at home checklist Web page
Cooling rooms, safe window opening, fan use below 35°C and cooler places.
- NHS: dehydration Web page
Regular access to fluids, dehydration signs and urgent advice.
- British Heart Foundation: hot weather and your heart Web page
Clinical advice for people with fluid restrictions and medicine storage.
- Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust: planning daily tasks PDF
Professional advice before heat or ice use with reduced sensation or poor circulation.
- NHS: heat exhaustion and heatstroke Web page
Prompt cooling, NHS 111 and immediate 999 escalation for heatstroke signs or failure to improve.
- UKHSA: hot weather guidance for healthcare professionals Web page
Emergency cooling and giving fluids only when conscious.