When A Heatwave Becomes An Accessibility Crisis

For many people, a heatwave means discomfort: hot nights, crowded trains and the search for somewhere cool. But for disabled people, extreme heat can create a much more serious set of challenges — affecting mobility, independence, employment and even the ability to leave home.

With another heatwave expected this week, the experiences of disabled people highlighted by BBC News raise an important question: are our homes, transport systems and emergency plans designed with everyone in mind?

When getting around becomes a risk

For Emily Davison, who has a visual impairment and relies on a guide dog, high temperatures can make travelling unsafe for both her and her dog, Rosie.

That can mean cancelling trips to work events and missing opportunities to earn money. Public transport can become too hot, while finding suitable taxis can be difficult.

The result is more than inconvenience. Every journey requires additional planning, and sometimes the safest choice is simply not to go.

For someone whose independence already depends on accessible transport, extreme heat can effectively put daily life on hold.

Wheelchairs, lifts and the hidden impact of heat

Hot weather can also affect mobility equipment.

Actor Jimmy Macfarlane uses a powered wheelchair and says high temperatures cause its battery to drain more quickly. That means he has to think carefully about how far he can travel and whether he will have enough power to get home.

His experience also shows how problems that might appear minor to other people can become major barriers. When he lived in a sixth-floor flat, a lift breakdown during hot weather left him unable to leave his home.

For someone who cannot simply take the stairs, a broken lift is not an inconvenience — it can mean being effectively trapped.

Heat also makes everyday activities more exhausting. Macfarlane, who has cerebral palsy, describes ordinary tasks such as showering and getting dressed as already requiring extra energy. Extreme temperatures can make those activities harder still.

Even staying cool can create new dangers

Advice for coping with hot weather often sounds straightforward: close curtains during the hottest part of the day, open windows when temperatures fall and use fans to circulate air.

But simple advice does not work equally well for everyone.

Claire Sisk, who has severely impaired vision, says leaving windows and doors open can make her feel vulnerable because she cannot easily see whether someone is approaching or entering her home.

Fans can also become obstacles because they change the familiar layout of a room.

Outside, bright sunlight can further reduce the vision she has, making journeys unpredictable and potentially dangerous.

These examples illustrate a broader problem: accessibility cannot be separated from heat resilience.

The financial cost of extreme heat

There is another side to the problem that is easy to overlook — money.

If extreme heat prevents someone from travelling to work, attending appointments or carrying out their usual activities, it can have an immediate financial impact. At the same time, keeping a home cool can mean higher energy bills, particularly when cooling equipment needs to run for long periods.

Research cited by BBC News suggests that disabled people can face difficult choices between protecting their health and managing household costs.

That is why heatwaves should not be treated simply as a matter of personal preparation. Housing, transport, social care, employment and public infrastructure all play a role in determining how safely someone can cope with extreme temperatures.

Designing heatwave policy with disabled people, not just for them

The experiences of disabled people point to a wider lesson about climate change.

As extreme heat becomes a recurring feature of summer, emergency planning needs to account for the different ways people experience weather. A recommendation that works for an able-bodied person may be impossible, impractical or even dangerous for someone with a disability.

That could mean considering accessible cooling spaces, reliable lifts, accessible transport, flexible working arrangements and clearer guidance tailored to different disabilities.

Most importantly, disabled people need to be involved in designing those solutions.

Climate resilience is not simply about surviving higher temperatures. It is about ensuring that people can continue to work, travel, access healthcare and participate in society when conditions become difficult.

For many disabled people, extreme heat already exposes weaknesses that exist all year round.

As summers get hotter, making society more resilient to heat must also mean making it more accessible.