A rare amber health alert has been issued as temperatures begin to plummet across the UK, with a rise in deaths ‘likely’.
The UK Health Security Agency has released the alert across England as the start of 2025 sees a bitter cold snap.
The Met Office has issued amber and yellow weather warnings covering nearly all of England and Wales and parts of Scotland for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Around 2 inches of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England.
Much of the UK is already seeing temperatures lose to freezing, with Scotland seeing as low as -10C.
An Amber Cold Health Alert is issued when the weather is likely to causing significant impacts to health and social care.
According to the UK Health Security Agency, this includes:
The warnings are coming into force from 12pm Saturday, and are set to end 9am on Monday.
Dan Holley, Deputy Chief Forecaster for the Met Office, said: ‘An Atlantic frontal system is likely to move across parts of central and southern UK through the weekend.
‘With milder, moisture-laden air engaging with the cold conditions already in place this may bring a spell of snow in some areas, before possibly turning back to rain in the south.
The British Red Cross has revealed a number of essentials you should have in your home during snow and winter weather.
These are:
‘At this stage there is a fair amount of uncertainty over exactly which areas will see disruptive snow, with parts of Wales, northern England and the Midlands most likely to see some impacts.
‘Here we could see 5cm or more in quite a few areas, and perhaps as much as 20-30cm over high ground, including Wales and the Pennines.’
But he warned this will affect travel conditions, with people urged to check roads and train timetables before setting off.
He said: ‘Coupled with strengthening winds this could lead to drifting, making travelling conditions difficult over higher-level routes in particular.
‘We’ve currently issued a Yellow warning for snow covering a large part of England, Wales and southern Scotland to cater for possible disruption over the weekend.’
An imminent cold snap will bring the Government’s decision to limit the winter fuel allowance to only the poorest pensioners ‘into sharp relief’, Age UK director Caroline Abrahams has said.
Ms Abrahams said the charity had already been contacted by older people ‘worrying about what to do when this moment arrived’.
‘We urge older people to do everything they can to stay warm, even if that means risking spending more on their heating than they feel they can afford,’ she said.
‘The energy companies are under an obligation to help if you are struggling and there may be support available from your local council too.
‘Better that than to jeopardise your health.’
It comes after a major incident was declared in Greater Manchester on Wednesday after flooding forced homes to be evacuated and closed train lines and roads following heavy rain.
Greater Manchester Police said the major incident had been declared as mountain rescue teams were deployed to help Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service deal with damaged properties and stranded vehicles.
Around 450 people were evacuated on Wednesday evening from a Didsbury hotel.
And the risk of flooding is not over yet despite colder temperatures.
The Environment Agency has seven active flood warnings in place in places where flooding is expected, while another 38 flood alerts are active across England as of Thursday evening.
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