Nearly 900 pensioners died because of heatwaves in Britain last year, new figures show, as experts warned that homes are keeping in too much heat.

The summer of 2019 saw three heatwaves, peaking in the baking week of July 21 to July 28 when Britain’s hottest-ever temperature was recorded in Cambridge at 101.6F (38.7C) on July 25.

In the days surrounding the hottest day, an extra 572 pensioners died and overall there were 892 excess deaths between the end of June to the end of August.

Bob Ward, of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change at the London School of Economics (LSE), said many of the deaths could have been avoided if houses and care homes were built to stay cool.

In recent decades, many homes were designed to be energy efficient, so they trap hot air rather than remove it, and only a small proportion of British houses have air conditioning.

Dr Ward said: “Tragically, many of these deaths are likely to have been preventable. Previous research has shown that many of the people who are killed by heatwave conditions die in their own homes or in care homes that overheat.

“The death toll is likely to rise unless there is strong action to protect those who are most vulnerable to hot weather.”