There is no specific legal minimum or maximum temperature for workplaces in the UK. However, official guidance expects indoor workplaces to be kept at a ā€œreasonableā€ temperature, with suggested minimums but no fixed upper limit.

Basic legal position

  • UK law does not set an exact legal minimum or maximum working temperature for most jobs.
  • Instead, employers must keep workplace conditions reasonable under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and manage risks from heat and cold through risk assessments.

Suggested minimum temperatures

  • Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance suggests indoor workplaces should normally be at least 16Ā°C for typical sedentary work (offices, desk work, etc.).
  • Where work involves a lot of physical effort, temperatures as low as 13Ā°C may be acceptable because workers generate more body heat.

No legal maximum temperature

  • There is no legal maximum working temperature in the UK, even during very hot weather.
  • Trade unions and some campaigners have proposed specific upper limits (for example, extra protections above around 24Ā°C and stopping work at around 30Ā°C), but these are not law as of the latest guidance.

What employers should do in extreme temperatures

  • Employers are expected to take ā€œreasonableā€ steps if it is too hot or too cold, such as improving ventilation, providing fans or heating, adjusting dress codes, rotating tasks, or offering more breaks and drinking water.
  • If temperatures feel unsafe or are affecting health (dizziness, heat exhaustion, numbness from cold), staff should raise this with a manager, health and safety rep, or union so a risk assessment and adjustments can be considered.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.