Feeling the heat: Socio-spatial inequalities in indoor overheating and heat adaptation in Greater London

Extreme heat is an increasingly important urban public health and housing challenge, with vulnerability shaped not only by climatic conditions but also by housing characteristics, socio-spatial inequalities, and residents' capacity to adapt. This study examined overheating experiences, behavioural adaptations, and socio-spatial patterns of heat adaptation among Greater London residents using a quantitative secondary analysis of data from a nationally representative survey conducted across England (Greater London subsample, N = 193). Indoor overheating was widespread, with 86% of participants reporting that at least one room in their home becomes uncomfortably hot during summer, particularly main bedrooms. Overheating was associated with a range of self-reported physical and psychological impacts, while behavioural adaptation was widespread, with most participants adopting cooling, shading, and ventilation strategies. Housing characteristics were significantly associated with several adaptive behaviours, and broader socio-spatial differences were observed across housing tenure, income, ethnicity, and EPC awareness, demonstrating that overheating experiences and adaptation are shaped by the interaction between housing conditions and wider social inequalities. By situating these findings within emerging debates on thermal inequalities and thermal justice, the study demonstrates that residential overheating extends beyond building performance to reflect broader inequalities in exposure and adaptation. The findings highlight the need for housing, retrofit, public health, and heat risk communication strategies that are responsive to diverse housing conditions and the structural constraints shaping residents' capacity to adapt to extreme heat.