Prevalence and incidence

Prevalence and incidence of dementia

The number of people living with dementia was estimated to be close to one million in 2024 (982,000), by 2040 this figure is expected to rise to 1.4 million.

Prevalence refers to the number of cases of dementia in a population at a particular time point, whereas incidence refers to the number of new cases in a population over a period of time.  The prevalence and incidence of dementia are dependent on many factors, such as age, gender, and geographical location. It can be difficult to be certain of these numbers due to the low diagnosis rate for dementia and the gradual onset of symptoms.

See our interactive maps which show the estimated number of people living with dementia in different parts of the UK based on published population and prevalence data.

Estimating the potential future impact and return on research investment in dementia. Office of Health Economics for ARUK.

Carnell Farrar (2024). The Economic Impact of Dementia.

Carnell Farrar. (2024). The Economic Impact of Dementia.

World Health Organization, Global Dementia Observatory, 2020.

Wittenberg, R., et al. (2019). Projections of older people living with dementia and costs of dementia care in the United Kingdom, 2019-2040.

Raw Disease Prevalence in Northern Ireland 2022/23.