The Met Office has announced that 2026 is the first year to have recorded temperatures of 35C or above on six separate days, breaking the previous record of five days set in 1976 and 2020. Temperatures peaked at 35.2C at Coton in the Elms in Derbyshire today, as the UK braces for its third heatwave in three months. This year is also the first to see the mercury reach 35C or higher in three calendar months, and has broken the record for most temperatures of 34C or higher nine times so far this summer.
The relentless heat has pushed water resources to their limit. Affinity Water became the latest supplier to announce a hosepipe ban, affecting around 1.1 million households across Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and parts of London. The ban, effective from July 17, prohibits using a hosepipe for watering gardens, washing cars, patios, paths and driveways, cleaning windows, or filling swimming and paddling pools. Stephen Plumb of Affinity Water said: "We don't take a decision like this lightly, but with demand for water use at unprecedented levels, we need to act now to protect supplies, for our customers, especially those who are most vulnerable, for the communities we serve, and for the environment. We know a hosepipe ban is disruptive, and we apologise for the inconvenience this will cause." The east of England, Cambridge, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight and areas of Kent are also under similar restrictions imposed by other water companies.
“UK sets record for 35C days, triggers hosepipe ban for millions, as Metro Bank launches 100% mortgage for first-time buyers.”
While the heatwave strains water supplies, the housing crisis deepens. Metro Bank has introduced a new Joint Borrower Sole Proprietor mortgage, enabling first-time buyers to borrow up to 100% of a property's value—on condition that a close relative, such as a parent or grandparent, signs on as a joint borrower, becoming legally liable for payments if the homeowner defaults. Unlike a conventional joint mortgage, the family member gains no ownership stake. Charles Morley, Director of Mortgage Distribution at Metro Bank, said: "For many first-time buyers today, getting on the property ladder can feel impossible, and family members often want to do anything they can to help. Acting as a Joint Borrower provides a way for immediate family to be that support without watering down the ownership of the property or being asked to provide a deposit." The product is also open to existing homeowners and is offered as a five-year fixed-rate deal, with both borrowers subject to thorough affordability checks. The joint borrower must have their own earned income and be a spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
