The mercury has hit a brutal new peak. Portugal has shattered its May temperature record, with the national weather service confirming a high of 47.1°C in the central town of Alcafache. This is not a freak, isolated spike. It is the latest chapter in a scorching European spring that has seen schools close, crops wither, and emergency services stretched to breaking point. The British Met Office has issued a stark warning: this is a heatwave crisis that demands urgent action, not just for holidaymakers but for the millions of working people who will bear the economic cost.
For the working families I speak to up and down this country, a heatwave is not a holiday. It is a struggle. Air conditioning is a luxury. Many spend their days in factories, kitchens, or construction sites that turn into ovens. Those lucky enough to have a fan see their energy bills skyrocket. The Met Office forecast suggests temperatures in parts of southern England could hit 32°C this week, a level that for the vulnerable can be lethal. But the real story is the strain on our infrastructure and the pockets of ordinary people.
Take the soaring cost of food. Portugal’s heatwave has devastated olive groves, vineyards, and cereal crops. The Portuguese government has declared a rural fire alert, fearing the parched land will ignite. But the damage is already done. Prices of olive oil, wine, and bread will climb. This is not a distant problem. Your weekly shop will feel it. The Office for National Statistics data shows food inflation is already running at 19%, the highest in 45 years. Now, add heatwave disruption to that mix.
The union movement is alive to the danger. Unite, the largest union in the UK, has begun calling for mandatory heat safety standards at work. Currently, there is no legal maximum working temperature. “Workers are collapsing,” a Unite spokesman told me. “We need a ‘maximum safe temperature’ law, full stop.” Across Europe, similar demands are growing. In Spain, trade unions have secured rights to adjust working hours during extreme heat. In Britain, we lag behind.
The government’s response has been typical: a series of health alerts and advice to stay hydrated. But where is the financial support? During the winter cold snap, there were fuel allowances. Where is the cooling allowance for the low-paid? The Energy Bill Support Scheme ended in March, leaving households to face record-high electricity costs alone. The heatwave will push those bills up further as people try to stay cool. The Resolution Foundation, a think tank, calculates that the poorest ten percent of households spend three times as much of their income on energy as the richest. They cannot afford this.
Meanwhile, the NHS braces for another surge in admissions. Elderly people, those with heart conditions, and the very young are most at risk. But the health service is already on its knees, with waiting lists at 7.2 million. A heatwave is a preventable extra burden. Preventable, if we had the political will to act on climate change and invest in adaptation.
This is not about blaming anyone for the weather. It is about recognising that the climate crisis is a cost-of-living crisis in disguise. The Met Office data, backed by the World Meteorological Organisation, shows Europe is warming faster than any other continent. Portugal’s record is a symptom. The British government must treat this as the emergency it is: with cash for cooling, stronger workplace rights, and a plan to protect the most vulnerable. Otherwise, the sweat and struggle of working people will only get worse.
For the millions living paycheck to paycheck, the heatwave is another reminder that the system is not built for them. And that, if you ask me, is the most dangerous temperature of all.
