UK heatwave triggers health alerts and warns of car sunburn risk

More than 6 million Britons are on the roads for the summer holidays as temperatures reach 30 °C, prompting the UK Health Security Agency to issue a yellow heat‑health alert that warns of increased risk to life for the elderly and vulnerable. The Port of Dover is experiencing long queues and ferry wait times of up to an hour, while large parts of Wales and England face hose‑pipe bans and an official drought declaration. Forecasts suggest scattered rain may ease conditions in the north and west, but much of southern England will remain dry.

New research commissioned by Autotrader and the British Skin Foundation finds that 47 % of motorists take no precautions against UV exposure, with an estimated 14 million experiencing sunburn while travelling by car. Dr Zainab Laftah warned that side windows can let significant UVA rays in, increasing cumulative skin‑damage and skin‑cancer risk, especially for drivers of convertibles and other open‑top vehicles.