Weather latest: Snow warnings as NHS board says to avoid going outside in morning or night amid icy conditions

An imminent cold snap could put the elderly at risk of death, the UK Health Security Agency has warned, as a charity criticised the Government’s decision to limit winter fuel payments.

The UKHSA has issued cold weather health amber alerts from 12pm on Thursday until January 8 meaning a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions, is likely.

Age UK director Caroline Abrahams said the Government’s decision to limit the winter fuel allowance to only the poorest pensioners will be put “into sharp relief” by the cold snap.

Ms Abrahams said the charity had already been contacted by older people “worrying about what to do when this moment arrived”.

From this winter, only people on pension credit or certain other benefits will receive the winter fuel payments while more than nine million others are set to be stripped of the allowance.

“We urge older people to do everything they can to stay warm, even if that means risking spending more on their heating than they feel they can afford,” the charity director said. “The energy companies are under an obligation to help if you are struggling and there may be support available from your local council too.”

Around 5cm of snow is expected to fall widely across swathes of the Midlands, Wales and northern England, with as much as 20-30cm over high ground in Wales or the Pennines.

The forecasters warned that some could experience power cuts during the 45 hour alert beginning on Saturday, while there is a slight chance that some rural communities could also become cut off.

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Last year was the fourth warmest on record for the UK, the Met Office said, in another “clear illustration that our climate is changing, right now”.

Provisional figures for 2024 from the Met Office showed an average temperature for the UK of 9.78C, 0.64C above the 1991-2020 average and putting it in fourth place for the warmest year following 2022, 2023 and 2014.

While the Met Office said UK weather was variable, the long term trends showed clear evidence in this country of how the global climate was warming.

About 5cm of snow is expected widely across the Midlands, Wales and northern England, the Met Office has said.

As much as 20-30cm could be seen over high ground in Wales and/or the Pennines, the forecaster added.

The Met Office has issued four weather warnings in the coming days as the UK welcomes in 2025 with a cold snap.

The forecasters have told Britons to prepare for freezing temperatures, ice and up to 30cm of snow over the weekend.

• Thursday 4pm to Friday 10am: Yellow snow and ice warning for northeast Scotland.

• Thursday 5pm to Friday 10am: Yellow ice warning for northwest Scotland, northwest England and parts of Northern Ireland.

• Saturday 12pm to Monday 9am: Yellow snow warning for most of England, southern Scotland and all of Wales.

• Sunday 12am to Monday 12pm: Yellow snow warning for most of Scotland.

Britons wanting to travel home after the New Year have been warned to expect travel disruptions on Thursday, as icy weather grips the UK.

The Met Office has warned that the country will be welcoming 2025 with a cold snap with snow expected to fall over the first weekend of the year.

On Thursday, more ice and snow warnings were issued across much of Scotland, northwest England and parts of Northern Ireland.

Temperatures are expected to stay low in the first days of the year, with air from much further north flowing across the country.

For those who intend to travel despite the current wintry weather, both the Met Office and National Rail issued alerts to remind Britons to plan ahead if on the move on Thursday.

The banks of the Bridgewater Canal in Cheshire collapsed on New Year’s Day after heavy rainfall, devastating the small village of Little Bollington.

Aerial footage shows water from the canal pouring into the village, which sits on the outskirts of Manchester.

Cheshire Police released a statement saying a section of the M56 had been closed and a number of nearby houses had to be evacuated.

Earlier the same day, the Greater Manchester police declared a major incident after flooding left city residents trapped in their houses.

The Met Office has issued two fresh weather warnings for Thursday afternoon, as more ice and snow is expected in the UK.

The first warning for snow and ice came into place at 4pm on Thursday for northeast Scotland, while the second yellow warning for ice will begin at 5pm across northwest Scotland, northwest England and parts of Northern Ireland.

Both warnings are expected to expire at 10am on Friday.