Dementia deaths rising faster than expected

Dementia is killing people at a faster-than-expected rate, with new figures revealing 2,500 excess deaths from the condition in England last year.

More than 68,000 people died from the disease in 2025 – accounting for around one in six deaths from leading causes recorded. 

It marks a decade since dementia overtook heart disease as the UK’s biggest killer – a grim title it has held since then, with the exception of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Official figures collected by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show in 2014, there were around 501,000 deaths registered in England and Wales.

Of those, heart disease was responsible for about 66,000 deaths, making it the leading cause overall. 

Dementia – including the most common form, Alzheimer’s disease – by comparison, accounted for just under 60,000 deaths that year.

By 2015, the balance had tipped. Out of approximately 530,000 total deaths in England and Wales, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease were blamed for around 61,700 deaths, overtaking heart disease, which was linked to just over 61,000 deaths.

The new figure, released this week, measures excess deaths – a separate statistic collected by the ONS that tracks how many more people died than would normally be expected.

Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP.

Excess deaths compare the number of deaths recorded in a given year with forecasts based on previous trends, population growth and ageing. Crucially, they show whether mortality is rising beyond what experts predicted, rather than simply reflecting the fact that more people are living to older ages.

In the case of dementia, the data shows that 2,588 more people died from the condition in England last year than expected, even after those factors were taken into account.

Overall, there were fewer deaths than expected in England last year – with dementia and flu driving the disparity.

Significantly less people died of heart disease and cancer than expected, reflecting improvements in funding, research and treatment options. 

Official figures predicted more than 135,700 people would die of all cardiovascular diseases in 2025, 8 per cent more than the 124,218 deaths recorded. 

Similarly cancer deaths were down 2 per cent on expected figures.

In total, 391,538 deaths were recorded from the six major causes – around four per cent lower than expected, making the sharp rise in dementia deaths an outlier.

Underlying causes included heart disease, cancer, influenza and pneumonia, chronic lower respiratory disease, dementia and Alzheimers, and liver disease.

An NHS England spokesperson suggested the rise was due to better diagnostic techniques picking up more people than ever with the disease. 

‘Behind every statistic is a family – and we are determined to improve dementia care,’ they added.

Currently, around 900,000 people in the UK are living with dementia. That number is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2040, driven largely by Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the Alzheimer’s Society, more than a third of people with the condition do not yet have a diagnosis.

But the NHS insists that diagnosis is a crucial first step in the fight against the disease.

‘Getting a diagnosis of dementia is the first step in supporting people, with a wide range of NHS services available to help,’ the spokesperson said.

‘If you have noticed that someone has symptoms, please encourage them to visit their GP for an assessment. The sooner someone is seen, the quicker the NHS can help.’

The figures come as fresh analysis shows dementia patients continue to face a postcode lottery of care, with the NHS failing to hit diagnosis targets in more than half of local authorities across England.

Campaigners argue that people with dementia face a ‘cruel injustice’ – often paying higher care bills, while still having no drugs available on the NHS to cure, prevent or meaningfully slow the disease. 

In 2024, NHS patients were denied access to a much-anticipated Alzheimer’s drug, lecanemab, after officials ruled it was not cost-effective.

The drug is the first treatment shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, which gradually damages memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.

Despite the rising death toll and lack of new treatments, dementia was removed from official NHS planning guidance last year – prompting concerns it is no longer being treated as a priority.

In response to mounting criticism, the Government has pledged to deliver the first-ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia, designed to set national standards and improve care quality.

However, analysis shows the NHS is still failing to meet the Government’s ambition of diagnosing 66.7 per cent of dementia cases in most areas. The national average currently stands at 66.5 per cent.

London performs worst of all, with only around one in three cases diagnosed – less than any other region in the country.

Addressing the gap in diagnosis, Health Minister Stephen Kinnock said: ‘Getting a timely diagnosis can be life-changing – it means people can access the care and support they need to live well for longer.

‘This Government is making progress, with diagnosis rates rising, but there is much more to do.’

Dr Jeremy Isaacs, NHS national clinical director for dementia, added: ‘The number of people diagnosed with dementia is at a record high and just 0.2 per cent away from our national ambition.

‘The NHS urges anyone concerned about someone they know developing dementia to encourage them to see their GP for an initial assessment.’

The warning comes as world-leading experts this week set out 56 evidence-based recommendations aimed at cutting dementia risk, including better control of high blood pressure and stronger public-health messaging.