It's Not Trivial' A Quarter of Adults Are Affected by Hay Fever. And It's Debilitating

Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, is believed to affect 10-15% of children and at least one in four adults in the UK.

- Elle Hunt

Perhaps because it is so common, it is sometimes dismissed by non-sufferers as a few summertime sniffles.

"It is taken as a bit of a triviality - but it affects your quality of life, sleep, wellbeing, concentration and mood," says Sheena Cruickshank, an immunologist and professor in biomedical sciences and public engagement at the University of Manchester.

Hay fever can also be a risk factor for the development of asthma and other allergies. For many people, the experience is said to be getting worse, driven by the changing climate, land use and increasing individual sensitivity. A 2020 survey by the charity Allergy UK and Kleenex found that 37% of respondents had developed hay fever symptoms for the first time in the last five years.

A large study co-authored by Cruickshank in 2023 found that people living in urban areas experienced symptoms that were roughly twice as severe as those living in rural ones. Higher temperatures and pollution were both relevant, says Cruickshank.

Lisa Ventura has noticed the impact of changing weather conditions, not just temperature but also wind and humidity, on her hay fever: "Every year, you just don't know what it's going to be like." Some summers have been so bad, she has had to carry an inhaler.