An estimated one million people will be living with dementia by 2025, so research is crucial to understanding the condition and improving outcomes for those affected.

I was proud to stand on a manifesto that committed to doubling dementia research funding and finding a cure for dementia.

In memory of the late Dame Barbara Windsor, the Government launched a new mission in August 2022 to put this into practice.  Research funding for dementia will rise to a total of £160 million a year by 2024, with an additional £95 million being provided to increase clinical trials and research projects. 

I am proud that Conservative Prime Ministers from David Cameron onwards have given great priority to increasing dementia research funding, and will continue to deliver on this manifesto commitment.

A new taskforce – made up of industry, the NHS, academia and families affected by dementia will help lead this work to allocate funding.  You can register your interest to take part through the Join Dementia Research website here: https://www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk/

This mission compliments the Government’s commitment to publish the 10-Year Plan for Dementia later this year.

The 10-Year Plan will include plans to increase research funding for dementia and deliver a moonshot. It will focus on the specific health needs of people with dementia and their carers covering prevention, diagnosis and research. It will also look at how new technology can be used to improve outcomes for dementia patients across the country.