Oxfordshire County Council has urged the government to introduce a new Cool Homes Grant to help vulnerable households retrofit properties that become dangerously hot during periods of extreme weather.
The proposal comes as the UK experiences increasingly frequent heatwaves, with the council warning that many homes are not designed to cope with prolonged high temperatures.
The authority says existing funding through the Warm Homes Local Grant helps improve energy efficiency and keep homes warm during winter, but there is currently no equivalent national programme to help residents adapt properties to stay safe in summer.
According to the council, overheating in homes can increase the risk of serious health conditions, including heart attacks, strokes, respiratory illness and severe mental health problems, particularly among older people and those with existing health conditions.
The council says that 1,504 heat-associated deaths were recorded across the UK during the summer of 2025, while more recent estimates suggest more than 2,700 people may already have died during heatwaves in England and Wales this year.
Councillor Laura Gordon, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy, said rising temperatures are becoming “a new reality” and warned that vulnerable residents are often least able to afford measures that reduce overheating.
She also said the issue risks widening health inequalities if households most at risk cannot access support to improve their homes.
As part of its own response, Oxfordshire County Council says it will launch a pilot Heat Safe Homes programme this summer. The initiative will include home visits, practical advice, community engagement, training on keeping homes cool and the distribution of cooling packs.
The Oxfordshire authority is now calling on central government to expand existing home retrofit funding by introducing a dedicated Cool Homes Grant that would help pay for improvements such as external shutters, blinds, improved ventilation, awnings and, where appropriate, air conditioning.
The council is also urging ministers to review planning rules and building regulations that it says currently make it more difficult to install external shading and ventilation measures designed to reduce overheating.
If introduced, the proposed grant would complement existing schemes aimed at improving home energy efficiency, with a greater focus on helping households adapt to hotter summers driven by climate change.
