About Us

When someone has dementia, it is vital that their family and friends can access specialist advice, support and understanding to help them help their loved one.

But for thousands of families, living with dementia can mean fear and confusion, not only for the person with dementia, but also for the people caring for them and their wider family and friends. Every day and every moment can throw up new and complex challenges; trying to support someone with dementia can be exhausting and overwhelming. It is easy for family carers to become isolated as they put their own lives on hold to take on a role that can push them to breaking point.

But there is a lifeline.

Dementia UK is the specialist dementia nursing charity that is there for the whole family, working towards a day where no one has to face dementia alone. Our specialist nurses, known as Admiral Nurses, provide life-changing advice and support, to anyone affected by dementia, whenever it is needed.

Dementia is a complex condition, unique to every individual and their family. Our Admiral Nurses understand this: they provide tailored, practical support to thousands of families every year, offering them reassurance, understanding and a listening ear that helps them feel more in control. With the support of an Admiral Nurse and Dementia UK – whether it’s on our Helpline, through our clinics service, or in the community – families we support know they are not alone.

Every three minutes someone in the UK develops dementia. Today there are around 944,000 people living with dementia, including 70,800 living with young onset dementia, (where symptoms develop under the age of 65) and right now there are only around 440 Admiral Nurses to support them and their families.

Compared to many of the most serious health conditions, specialist follow-up support for dementia is hard to get because it barely exists. This is a huge and growing crisis that needs urgent attention.

As diagnosis rates increase every year, we need radical change so families get the support they need. We need more specialist Admiral Nurses and we need better understanding and awareness of the reality of dementia. As the only UK-wide charity dedicated to specialist dementia nursing, we want every family to know we will be there to support them – for as long as they need us.

Our Finances

Dementia UK has grown from a charity with a £5.4m income in 2017 to almost £20m in 2023. The charity has had to quickly adapt to rapid growth in delivering for its beneficiaries and its infrastructure and governance. Funds are designated for digital and infrastructure projects and future charitable activities. The strategy focuses on income growth and diversification, and expansion of services particularly those related to Policy and Campaigning.

In 2022/23, Dementia UK raised £19.4m income, including £18.7m from donations and legacies, and had expenditure of £17.7m. Cash was £9.4m and short-term deposits £6.5m. Total funds £15m included restricted funds £1.3m, designated funds £4.9m and general funds £8.8m; enough to cover six months of unrestricted expenditure, in line with the charity’s reserves policy of three to six months spend.

Our turnover for 23/24 is in the region of £22.5m.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement

Dementia UK is made up of different kinds of people, each with their own uniqueness, whether in terms of background, personal characteristics, experience, skills or motivations. We value our people for the differences they bring. Fostering an inclusive culture helps each of us to benefit from a wider range of these different perspectives, experiences and skills. We believe that this creates a happier, more productive and innovative working environment for us all. We are committed to ensuring that all people, regardless of their background, are treated with dignity and respect, not just so that we can comply with UK equalities legislation, but more importantly so that all our staff feel able to bring their whole selves to work every day.

As part of our commitment to EDI at Dementia UK, we instructed an independent external consultant to carry out a full EDI audit of our charity. The outcome of that audit and recommendations have led to a whole host of actions, laid out in our Equality Action Plan. The plan included 33 actions to be implemented between 2022 – 2025. The actions support our work across the whole employee lifecycle. To date, we have completed 20 of the actions, with the rest planned for 2024 and 2025. We passionately believe that our commitment to these principles will position Dementia UK for greater success and a more prosperous future. By championing diversity and fostering a culture of inclusion, we can unlock the full potential of all our staff.

Further Reading