Overview
- Met Office snow and ice warnings remain in place across the UK, with a UKHSA cold-health alert covering all of England.
- Officials expect increased mortality during the alert period as very low temperatures persist.
- Workplace law sets no fixed minimum or maximum temperature, requiring instead a "reasonable" indoor environment under existing regulations.
- HSE and government guidance recommend at least 16C indoors, or 13C for physically demanding work, with ACAS echoing the same thresholds.
- Employers are urged to assess cold-related risks and provide practical protections such as extra heating, regular breaks, warm drinks, reduced draughts, task rotation and flexible scheduling, as regions report sub-zero readings, school closures and difficult commutes.