Heat risk communication in England: Institutional practices and barriers

This paper examines heat risk communication in England through institutional practices across the communication cycle, exploring how risk communication principles are applied and the institutional factors that constrain their effectiveness. The study employed a qualitative case study design and conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 practitioners from national, regional and local organizations between January and March 2026. Interview data were complemented by a review of relevant government documents, reports and publicly available materials, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

The findings show that England has an established multi-level system for identifying heat risks, issuing alerts and coordinating responses, with several principles of effective risk communication evident across institutional practices. However, their application is uneven, and communication remains more strongly oriented towards institutional preparedness and awareness than direct public engagement and behavioural response. Public-facing communication relies heavily on digital channels, while resource constraints, accessibility gaps, coordination challenges and limited evaluation constrain effectiveness. The authors recommend more consistent application of risk communication principles across planning, design, dissemination, monitoring and evaluation to improve reach, comprehension, salience and protective action.