New research by the University of Glasgow has shed light on the disproportionate impact of heatwaves on women and low-income families in the UK. Dr. Louise Lawson warns that existing social inequalities are being exacerbated, with communities already struggling to cope.
The study points out that discussions around extreme weather often overlook the role of unequal social conditions in dictating people's ability to cope. Dr. Lawson highlights the limitations faced by women juggling multiple low-paid jobs and unpaid care responsibilities, which leaves them vulnerable when heatwaves strike.
For families barely scraping by due to rising living costs, additional pressures like cooling homes, ensuring safe travel, or taking time off work during a heatwave can be crippling. Those caring for children with complex needs already face significant gaps in support services – the added strain of extreme heat exacerbates their practical, emotional, and financial struggles.
The findings demonstrate a clear link between climate resilience, care, poverty, and gender equality. Dr. Lawson stresses that effective adaptation to a warming world requires investment in essential public services like childcare, social care, and social security. The UK also needs to formally recognise and value the unpaid care work predominantly performed by women.
Dr. Lawson argues that heatwaves are not creating these inequalities but revealing them for what they are – a product of societal choices that undervalue care, inadequately support families, and fail to protect low-income individuals from preventable hardship. As she notes, 'this situation is not about lack of resources but societal priorities that have led us here.'