The take-care alert was issued by Public Health England after earlier warnings were made by the Met Office about freezing cold days and nights most parts of the UK will experience until Saturday, with Thursday being the coldest night of the year.

Dr Thomas Waite, of PHE’s Extreme Events team, said: “As the weather is going to get colder everywhere in the coming days, this is a really good time to check on those who may be at risk. People with diseases such as heart and lung conditions, older people, and young children can feel the ill-effects of cold weather more than the rest of us.

“To stay well this winter, we all need to play a part. Is there someone you know who could be at risk when the weather gets cold? Could you help them out by fetching shopping or prescriptions.

“When the colder weather arrives there are several things we can do to keep well: wear several thin layers instead of fewer thicker ones, keep parts of the home you’re using heated to at least 18°C and keep a careful eye on the weather forecasts.”

The Met Office are saying temperatures will fall away to around -8c and even minus -10c in some parts, some snow and ice will affect Eastern England, most other places will have hard frosts.

It is important to keep an eye on the vulnerable in colder weather.

Discover more from

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.