Summer 2025 was the hottest on record for the UK, contributing to a very warm year with below-average rainfall and some areas experiencing record low rainfall.

The summer mean temperature reached 16.10°C, the hottest since records began, surpassing the 2018 record of 15.76°C.

2024 was the dullest year for sunshine since 1998, according to Met Office data.

The Met Office notes the UK has generally become sunnier since the 1980s, but the exact cause is uncertain and may involve natural year-to-year variation; reduced aerosols could be a factor, though there is no definitive evidence of a future trend due to climate change.

The record sunshine coincided with the UK’s warmest spring and summer on record for mean temperatures since records began.

Renewables now generate around 60% of the UK’s electricity, up from about 3% in 2000, underscoring a cleaner energy future.

England led a year of exceptionally sunny conditions in 2025, with England recording its sunniest year on record, Scotland the second sunniest, and Wales the sixth; Northern Ireland remained in contention for a top-10 finish as the year drew to a close.

Solar power surged in 2025, with a July 8 record output of over 14 gigawatts, enough to cover more than 40% of Britain’s energy needs at the time; from April to August, solar contributed over 10% of the country’s energy needs.

Sunshine data collection began in 1910, with temperature records dating back to 1884, and both sets of data carry uncertainties about long-term trends.

While rainfall was below average and summers were exceptionally sunny, the Met Office cautioned that more data is needed to clarify long-term trends.

Scientists continue to link climate change to more extreme weather events, even as sunshine trends remain uncertain in attribution.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks highlighted solar as a cheap, secure, clean energy source and outlined plans to expand solar installations in schools, hospitals, and homes as the UK heads into 2026 to boost energy security and climate goals.