Increase in residential building subsidence in London due to heatwaves
Residents of the British capital, London, are facing an unprecedented recurrence of subsidence incidents following five consecutive heatwaves that struck the city and caused the clay soil underlying most of its buildings to dry out.
According to data from the Association of British Insurers, the number of claims for subsidence—a phenomenon linked to heatwaves and severe droughts that cause soil shrinkage and cracking of building foundations—reached record levels in the second quarter of this year. The association noted that the average compensation claim amounted to £20,000 (approximately $27,200) per household to cover the consequences of this subsidence, representing a 15% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Bloomberg News quoted Laura Hughes, head of general insurance at the association, as saying that this upward trend in subsidence claims is likely to continue. She added, “We expect to see more subsidence cases due to hot weather.”
London residents have expressed frustration on social media over the expanding scope of this phenomenon. On Reddit, users shared personal experiences describing “horrific cracks” in their homes and “difficulty opening and closing doors” resulting from subsidence. One resident stated it was “really scary” to discover that the walls of his kitchen had shifted as the house’s foundations moved.
Data provided by Aviva Insurance shows that the areas of London most vulnerable to subsidence are located in some of the capital’s most desirable residential neighborhoods, specifically Westminster, Kensington, and Chelsea. While subsidence has affected homes in the British capital for decades, climate change is exacerbating the situation.
The risk of subsidence in the UK is concentrated in London and its surrounding areas, as well as parts of southeastern England. Over the four years leading up to 2025, insurance payouts for subsidence damage rose by approximately 90% to reach a record high of £297 million, according to data from the Association of British Insurers.
