A series of reports commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Society has set out the economic and healthcare impacts of dementia.

The first part of the research showed that the annual costs of dementia in the UK, which stand at £42 billion today, could rise to £90 billion by 2040.

The document also shows the role that early diagnosis and symptomatic treatment play in reducing system pressures and decreasing the likelihood of crisis for people living with dementia.

A post on the Alzheimer’s Society’s website said: “Suboptimal diagnosis, treatment, care and support results in a worse experience for individuals and means that dementia has a disproportionate impact on the healthcare system, with its impact set to increase significantly as prevalence grows.”

It went on to explain that the rise of dementia means that, by 2040, there will 6.9 million additional primary care contacts associated with dementia, requiring an estimated 1.7 million more hours of primary care time.

People with undiagnosed dementia attend A&E on average 1.5 times per year, which is higher than attendances for diagnosed mild, moderate and severe dementia patients, and three times higher than attendances for patients without dementia.

Early diagnosis, treatment and support is essential to help people with dementia navigate the health system better. However, spending on diagnosis and treatment is equivalent to just 1.4% of total dementia healthcare costs. By contrast, unplanned hospital admissions make up almost a third of all dementia healthcare costs.

Meanwhile, almost one in six hospital beds today are occupied by someone living with dementia, with the number of bed days for dementia patients expected to increase over time, growing from 20,500 beds in 2024 to 29,400 beds by 2040.

By 2040, 6.9 million additional primary care contacts, such as GP appointment, will be required each year, representing a 43% increase on current 2024 activity.

The report showed how, through early intervention and treatments such as cognitive stimulation therapy, AChE inhibitors and memantine, many people with dementia could lead more comfortable lives, and the health and social care system could save a significant amount of its annual dementia expenditure.