Abstract
This overview document provides an update on the figures presented in the first edition of Dementia UK (Alzheimer’s Society, 2007). It is an overview of the full report, Dementia UK: Second edition, which will be published by Alzheimer’s Society in autumn 2014. This document presents the best available evidence for the current cost and prevalence of dementia in the UK.
The full report was commissioned by Alzheimer’s Society. It was researched and written by King’s College London and London School of Economics in 2014.
Some of the key findings from the report are:
• The total age-standardised 65+ population prevalence of dementia is 7.1% (based on 2013 data).
• This equals one in every 79 (1.3%) of the entire UK population, and 1 in every 14 of the population aged 65 years and over.
• At the current estimated rate of prevalence, there will be 850,000 people with dementia in the UK in 2015.
• Compared to the 2007 estimates, the current prevalence consensus estimates are slightly higher for the youngest (65 to 69) and oldest (90+) age bands and slightly lower for the intermediate age groups (80–89).
• The total number of people with dementia in the UK would increase to over 1 million by 2025 and over 2 million by 2051 if age-specific prevalence remains stable, and increases are only driven by demographic ageing.
• This is a worst-case scenario. Improvements to education standards, cardiovascular health, activity levels and other known risk factors may all help reduce dementia incidence and prevalence in the future. However, available research in this area is not sufficient to allow us to forecast this in our current projections.
• There are over 40,000 people with early-onset dementia (under the age of 65 years) in the UK.
• The total cost of dementia to society in the UK is £26.3 billion, with an average cost of
£32, 250 per person.
• £4.3 billion is spent on healthcare costs.
• £10.3 billion is spent on social care (publicly and privately funded).
• £11.6 billion is contributed by the work of unpaid carers of people with dementia.
The full report was commissioned by Alzheimer’s Society. It was researched and written by King’s College London and London School of Economics in 2014.
Some of the key findings from the report are:
• The total age-standardised 65+ population prevalence of dementia is 7.1% (based on 2013 data).
• This equals one in every 79 (1.3%) of the entire UK population, and 1 in every 14 of the population aged 65 years and over.
• At the current estimated rate of prevalence, there will be 850,000 people with dementia in the UK in 2015.
• Compared to the 2007 estimates, the current prevalence consensus estimates are slightly higher for the youngest (65 to 69) and oldest (90+) age bands and slightly lower for the intermediate age groups (80–89).
• The total number of people with dementia in the UK would increase to over 1 million by 2025 and over 2 million by 2051 if age-specific prevalence remains stable, and increases are only driven by demographic ageing.
• This is a worst-case scenario. Improvements to education standards, cardiovascular health, activity levels and other known risk factors may all help reduce dementia incidence and prevalence in the future. However, available research in this area is not sufficient to allow us to forecast this in our current projections.
• There are over 40,000 people with early-onset dementia (under the age of 65 years) in the UK.
• The total cost of dementia to society in the UK is £26.3 billion, with an average cost of
£32, 250 per person.
• £4.3 billion is spent on healthcare costs.
• £10.3 billion is spent on social care (publicly and privately funded).
• £11.6 billion is contributed by the work of unpaid carers of people with dementia.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Alzheimer's Society |
| Number of pages | 61 |
| Publication status | Published - 10 Sept 2014 |