Climate change is already making life harder for public services in the UK, and it’s only going to get worse without a major change in how we think about these issues. Chris Naylor from the King’s Fund highlights this in his work for the Reimagining the Welfare State project. He argues that climate change is not just an environmental problem; it’s affecting everything governments do.
Extreme weather events, like heatwaves and hurricanes, are causing real disruptions. For example, the summer heatwaves of 2022 led to IT failures, while Hurricane Helene in 2024 harmed supply chains for essential medical supplies. Naylor warns that these events will become the norm as climate patterns continue to shift.
The financial impact is severe too. In 2023, about one-third of the rising food prices in the UK were linked to extreme weather affecting crop yields. This hits lower-income households the hardest, making healthy food less accessible and leading to poorer health outcomes. As a result, pressure on the NHS and other public services only increases.
The NHS is responsible for around 5% of the UK’s carbon emissions. Naylor believes that reducing these emissions requires more than just eco-friendly buildings. It involves rethinking services to focus on prevention, cutting ineffective interventions, and empowering communities to take charge of their health.
However, current budgeting practices are a roadblock. Short-term financial pressures often stop investments in long-term solutions, like renewable energy or reusable medical tools. For instance, a recent solar project in the NHS is projected to save £325 million over time, yet these initiatives are more the exception than the rule.
Naylor also suggests that we need to redefine what “value” means in public services. It shouldn’t just include financial returns but also environmental and social impacts. Some steps have been taken, like integrating social value into procurement, but more comprehensive changes are vital. For example, incorporating environmental costs into assessments by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) could make a big difference.
Without these crucial changes, Naylor warns that the welfare state could begin to fall apart. He urges everyone interested in the future of public services to engage with these pressing issues, or risk a serious decline in support systems that many depend on.
To dive deeper into Naylor’s analysis, you can read the full article here.
