A man who blames climate change for his home collapsing into the sea is helping to lead a campaign to force the new Labour Government to do more about global warming.

Friends of the Earth (FoE) and a disabled care home resident are also joining the legal action, which claims the UK’s climate adaptation plans are "dangerously inadequate".

The claimants argue that the National Adaptation Programme, brought in by the previous government, does not sufficiently protect people, property and infrastructure from the foreseeable impacts of climate change.

They are calling on the new Labour Government to come up with a much stronger plan to ensure the UK is suitably prepared for the effects of climate change, and that those most at risk are adequately protected.

FoE claims at least six million people's lives are at risk from rising temperatures across the country.

An FoE spokesperson said: "Older people and young children are among the most high-risk groups for heatwaves – there are 1.7million under-fives and 4.3million older people living in the most heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods in England.

"The true figure is likely to be significantly higher when health conditions exacerbated by extreme heat, and other high-risk groups such as disabled people, are considered.

"The new Government must strengthen plans it has inherited from the Conservatives for adapting to climate change, which are the subject of a legal challenge at the High Court next week.

"The UK’s woeful plans for adapting to climate change, which will be challenged in the High Court in a matter of days, are dangerously inadequate – with extreme heat alone threatening the health and lives of at least six million people in England, new data analysis has found."

One co-claimant is care home resident Doug Paulley, who says he is particularly vulnerable to overheating during seasonal heatwaves.

The other claimant unfortunately lost his home in December 2023, after the claim was issued.

The trial will be heard over two days on July 23 and 24.

Mr Paulley said: “The disproportionate impacts that are already being felt by disabled people, and will continue to in the future without better plans for adapting to climate change, are a stain on the UK and show just how far we’ve still to go to ensure disabled lives are taken seriously and treated with the respect they deserve.

“As someone who really struggles to regulate their body temperature due to health reasons, heatwaves like the one we had in 2022 mean I have to keep all of the curtains, windows and doors shut, and constantly cool my home with air conditioning just to get through.

"It becomes really isolating because I can’t go and visit anyone else in my care home, let alone the outside world. It’s not lost on me that disabled people were similarly cut off during the pandemic, too.

“But it’s not just how the UK responds to warmer temperatures that is putting lives at risk. Plans for how we respond to floods and other weather extremes must be designed with disabled people, and other at-risk groups, in mind, to ensure no one gets left behind as the climate crisis accelerates.”

Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at FoE, said: “Global temperature records are being broken year on year, but the UK’s plans to adapt to the climate crisis are falling far short of what’s needed to protect frontline communities. This failure is putting the lives and health of millions of people at risk.

“While the new Government has already made a positive start when it comes to climate action, for example by lifting the ban on onshore wind, we also need them to rapidly upgrade the country’s adaptation plans.

“This must include rolling out insulation programmes to keep our homes, care homes, schools and nurseries cool in summer, as well as warm in winter, planting street trees to help cool neighbourhoods during hot spells, and equipping community spaces such as libraries with air conditioning so people can shelter during heatwaves.”

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have been contacted for comment.