Dementia costs the UK £539 a second

The Alzheimer's Society report into the social and economic cost of dementia warns that urgent action is needed to plan for a rapid increase in dementia in the UK.

The Dementia UK report, prepared by the London School of Economics and King's College London, estimates that in less than 20 years, the number of people with dementia will increase dramatically from 700,000 to more than a million. The report will be unveiled at a national conference on Tuesday 27 February 2007.

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, says,

'With every second ticking by, dementia costs the UK £539. We can't afford to ignore the true cost of dementia to society as a whole. Millions of people will be affected by the devastating consequences of dementia unless we act now.

We must tackle this huge challenge head on with a national dementia strategy. We need to invest in dementia services, research, support and training and use what money is being spent more effectively. Planning now will save lives and money in the future.

This new research shows that the government is failing to support people with dementia and their carers. As the number of people with dementia soars to a million by 2025, this problem will only get worse. Dementia will place an intolerable strain on our health and social care system unless the right services and support are in place.'

Professor Martin Knapp of the London School of Economics, one of the research directors, says,

'This research highlights the desperate need for dementia to be made a national priority. Families and individuals are bearing the biggest financial burden of dementia care, yet the current levels of services and support for people with dementia and carers are clearly inadequate.

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life ahead of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, yet funding for dementia research is significantly lower than these other conditions. Even delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of related deaths, saving nearly 30,000 lives annually.'

Dementia UK will be officially launched at a national conference at Savoy Place, London, on Tuesday 27 February 2007. Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis headlines the conference speaking on the opportunities and challenges of an ageing society at 12.00 noon.

For more information, contact Gayle Wing, Alzheimer's Society press release.

Notes for editors

About the Alzheimer's Society

• A full copy of the 'Dementia UK' report is available by calling 0207 306 0813.
• The Alzheimer's Society is the UK's leading care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
• For information and advice on Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia call the Alzheimer's Society national helpline on 0845 300 0336.

About the researchers

• The Institute of Psychiatry is part of King's College London and is a world-renowned centre for treatment, research and training in psychiatry and mental health.
• The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a world class centre for its concentration of teaching and research across the full range of the social, political and economic sciences.

Background briefing

Dementia UK key findings

• Dementia costs the UK £17 billion each year. This equates to £539 per second or £46.6 million per day. Dementia costs £25,472 per person per annum with late onset dementia (over 65 years of age).
• Currently there are 700,000 people with dementia in the UK.
• In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia. This will soar to 1.7 million people by 2050.
• Families bear the biggest burden of dementia. 63.5% of people with late onset dementia live at home. The proportion of people living in care homes increases with age.
• Individuals caring for people with dementia save the public purse more than £6 billion per year.
• Dementia is one of the main causes of disability later in life, ahead of some forms of cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke. Yet, as a country we spend much less on dementia than on these other conditions.
• Overall, 10% of deaths of men over 65 years and 15% of deaths of women are directly attributable to dementia. Delaying the onset of dementia by five years would halve the number of deaths from dementia saving 30,000 lives a year.
• For every five years you live past 30, your chance of developing dementia doubles.
• Dementia can affect people of any age, but is most common in older people. Dementia affects one in five people over 80 and one in 20 people over 65.
• There are nearly double the number of women with dementia over the age of 65 than men (222,925 men and 445,641 women).
• There are 15,000 people under 65 years of age with dementia in the UK. However this figure could be an underestimate by as much as three times higher due to a lack of referral to services.
• Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and is more prevalent among women than men.

Recommendations

The Alzheimer's Society is calling for:

1. Dementia to be made a national health and social care priority
2. Increased funding for dementia research
3. Improved dementia skills across health and social care
4. Developed community support
5. Guaranteed carer support packages
6. A national debate on who pays for care
7. Development of comprehensive dementia care models

Comparative figures

• The number of people with dementia in the UK would fill all NHS beds nearly five times over.
• People living with dementia today could fill every premiership league football stand in the UK.