Public health bosses in the UK are expecting a rise in deaths from cold weather, amid severe weather warnings for snow and ice over the next five days.
The UK’s Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued an amber alert for social care in England, saying vulnerable people were at risk as the country braced for heavy snow and ice going into the weekend.
Five days’ worth of yellow Met Office warnings are in place, beginning with snow and ice warnings stretching from the Shetland Islands to Derby and Nottingham, including north Wales and Northern Ireland.
A yellow weather warning has also been issued for ice across western Wales, from 6pm on Thursday to 10am on Friday, the Met Office said
By Saturday, these warnings are replaced by a blanket warning for heavy snow across England, Wales and southern parts of Scotland, which will remain in place until Monday morning.
About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales and the Pennines, according to forecasters.
A rise in deaths, in particular among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, was likely, the UKHSA said.
Some people will have challenges keeping indoor temperatures at the recommended 18C, leading to increased risk to vulnerable people.
Charities said that some elderly people who were not given the winter fuel allowance by the government would find it difficult. Age UK’s director, Caroline Abrahams, said the charity had already been contacted by some who were “worrying about what to do when this moment arrived”. She said: “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.”
The Met Office has also warned there is a small chance of power cuts, stranded vehicles, cancelled train and air travel, and some rural communities being cut off because of treacherous roads.
The icy forecast comes amid flooding that has led to homes being damaged and cars trapped in fast-rising water.
A major incident was declared in Greater Manchester on New Year’s Day, as hundreds of people were evacuated, including from a hotel housing asylum seekers and a Stockport block of flats, where residents had become trapped.
The incident was stood down on Thursday afternoon, with almost 1,000 people rescued and efforts from emergency services turning to recovery. Firefighters, police officers and mountain rescue had been involved in the rescue efforts, with about half of the people rescued by boat.
Major train lines were also flooded and the banks of a canal in Cheshire collapsed owing to a rise in flood water.
Read More: Rise in UK deaths expected as Met Office warns of snow and ice
