Europe’s record-breaking summer killed 50,000 people

More than 50,000 people are estimated to have died across Europe as a result of this summer’s record-breaking heatwaves, according to a new study.

Researchers estimate there were 4,354 excess deaths in the UK alone this summer.

Excess deaths have doubled

The number of excess deaths across Europe doubled in 2026, in comparison with last year – far surpassing the previous record of 29,000 deaths.

This was recorded in 2022 when the continent again endured exceptionally high temperatures, and the UK experienced 40°C for the first time.

What are excess deaths?

Excess deaths are those that occur outside of the number that would occur under normal conditions. Heat is often dubbed a “silent killer” that can worsen underlying health conditions, resulting in more deaths.

30°C

According to the Met Office, the UK saw its hottest ever summer this year with five widespread heatwaves, and 40 days where the temperature was above 30°C.

Mainland Europe experienced its third hottest summer.

40%

Researchers looked at 854 urban areas in 30 European countries.

Because the study only looked at urban areas –roughly 40 per cent of each country’s population– researchers believe the death toll could be an underestimate.

Countries hardest hit by heat

According to the study, published in , southern and western Europe were hardest hit.

There were an estimated 22,000 deaths among those aged 85 and over. However, researchers noted that an estimated 6,000 people under the age of 65 are also likely to have died as a result of heat.

Around a third of the deaths took place in late June – before people had a chance to acclimatise to the weather, and when average temperatures across Europe were more than 5°C above normal levels.

• Italy experienced the highest number of excess deaths (13,303)
• Followed by France (7,268)
• And then the UK (4,354)

The expert view

It is yet another reminder both of the imperative of rolling out targeted interventions to protect those who are most vulnerable to this increasingly extreme heat, and of the growing need to rapidly transition away from fossil fuels.

Dr Clair Barnes, extreme weather and climate change researcher at Imperial College

The autumn jobs gardeners are getting wrong – and the easy fixes

Digging over the soil

Standard advice has been to dig soil every autumn. But according to organic gardener Charles Dowding, soil should be disturbed as little as possible.

Clearing dead leaves

Raking fallen leaves can be counterproductive. Leaves on flower beds are a useful source of organic matter.

Bird feeding

While new studies suggest bird feeders can spread disease.

Save birdseed for colder months

A disease called trichomonosis can spread to greenfinches and chaffinches via birdfeeders. Greenfinch numbers have dropped by 60 per cent in the UK since the 1990s, mainly due to this disease.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said this year people should only offer birdseed and peanuts from November to April, when the cold kills off the parasite.

Leave the mess

Once flower beds have died back, it is tempting to neaten things up. But seed heads are a food source for birds, while leaves can become shelters for insects that are fodder for robins, wrens and goldcrests.

No crocks in pots

Standard advice is to put a layer of coarse material at the bottom of every pot to improve drainage. But this can actually saturate the compost even more – which we don’t want.

All the options for lower energy bills that could be in the Budget

Energy bills remain a major concern for families across the UK. The PM has asked ministers “to look at whether we can remove standing charges from gas bills” and has already cut VAT from electricity bills. However, experts argue that’s not enough.

So, what measures could Chancellor John Healey announce at the Budget to make energy more affordable?

Abolish the standing charge

• Andy Burnham has asked the Chancellor and Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh to remove standing charges from energy bills.
• This would remove the component of households’ dual fuel bills which is charged regardless of how much energy is being used.
• According to energy research centre Nesta, the typical household would save £27 a year under this system.

VAT removed from energy bills

VAT on household electricity was cut from 5 per cent to zero from 1 October, but only until the end of the 2026-27 financial year on 31 March.

It is saving the typical household £45 a year on their bills.

• Some experts have called for the Government to deliver targeted support above the current Warm Home Discount which provides a one-off £150 rebate on energy bills for low-income or pensioner households.
• Energy UK said this could come in the form of an increased amount for those eligible or as a debt relief scheme for billpayers – not penalising those who fall behind on bills.

Expand support to people on benefits

Citizens Advice has called for expanded support for people in receipt of child benefit and personal independence payments (PIP).

This, the charity says, will protect households with children and disabled households who need help over the coldest months of the year, but currently fall outside the means-tested benefits criteria.

 to give NHS doctors ‘second pair of eyes’ on  MRI scans

A number of AI programmes are set to be used by the NHS in England to help doctors spot prostate cancer on MRI scans.

The technologies would act like a “second pair of eyes” for medics, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said.

What you need to know

The NHS spending watchdog has recommended five tools in new draft guidance, which will be used on the health service for two years while evidence is gathered on how they work.

The technologies are designed to help radiologists by highlighting areas on prostate scans where cancer may be present.

Pressure on radiologists

• According to Nice, demand for prostate MRI has increased, as pre-biopsy scans are now included to confirm or rule out the disease.
• This has put pressure on radiology teams, which are already stretched because of workforce pressures.

The expert view

These AI technologies have the potential to act like a second pair of eyes, helping radiologists review prostate MRI scans. They have the potential to make MRI reporting more accurate and could help identify people whose scans need priority review.

Dr Anastasia Chalkidou, programme director for HealthTech at Nice

NHS Mounjaro roll-out plan deemed ‘unambitious’ by MPs

Current plans for rolling out weight-loss drug Mounjaro on the NHS “are unambitious” and reach a “woefully small number of people”, MPs have said.

What you need to know

6%

Only around 6 per cent of eligible people will get or currently receive Mounjaro on the NHS in its first three years, with millions more turning to private firms, according to the Commons Health and Social Care Committee.

MPs also used their report to call for obesity to be treated as a long-term condition like diabetes, and said people suffer relapses.

• They pointed to the “two-tier system” that has developed for access to drugs, adding: “The Government must urgently reassess the pace of roll out of Mounjaro.”

As a first step, the department should hold a summit on GLP-1 access with a range of providers and healthcare professionals to open a dialogue on how best to improve the roll out.

• In June 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommended Mounjaro as an option for managing overweight and obesity.
• The NHS has also approved semaglutide (Wegovy) for obese people, though many get their prescriptions privately due to a lack of access on the NHS.
• With Mounjaro, the NHS estimated 2.8 million patients would be eligible and, if all presented within the first year of availability, the cost would be £15.2bn over five years.

The gradual roll out of Mounjaro

As a result, Nice agreed to NHS England’s request that the roll out of Mounjaro should be done gradually, MPs said.

The NHS has been giving access to 220,000 people over three years, with the Health Foundation saying this makes up only around 6 per cent of those who would be eligible based on Nice’s recommendation.

• In their report on obesity, MPs said a new framework is needed to “include ambitious targets for the proportion of a local population that should be able to access GLP-1s”.
• Data suggests more than 2.37 million packs of GLP-1s are being prescribed every month in the UK, “with the vast majority of these being accessed privately”, the study said.

How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps

The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.

NHS GP dR RADHA

Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.

• The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
• This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
• We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
• Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.

Change your words

Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it. 

Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.

Express it

This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.

Notice more

Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?

The basics

By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.

Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality. 

• Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
• Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
• Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.

Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.

Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery

Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.

The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars. 

A champion of EV efficiency

It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.

It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.

Priced from £37,400

It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.

The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.

The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.

With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.

It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion. 

All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.

• While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
  

• It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps. 
• There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
• Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds. 

Victorinox paring knife

It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.

ProCook cast iron pan

For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice. 

Tesco chopping board

Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.

Pyrex jug

It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.

Salter scales

“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”

Microplane grater

It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match. 

Braun hand-held blender

It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce. 

Bodum cafetiere

As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.

Oxo peeler

What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.

Falcon pie dish

Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.