There are more than 500,000 people in England with a formal NHS diagnosis of dementia, according to the latest data.
The recent findings from NHS England show that 510,165 patients had a recorded diagnosis of dementia on January 31, 2026, a decrease of 2,301 patients since December 31, 2025.
Dementia is most commonly associated with older people, who account for the vast majority of cases – but young-onset dementia is known to be on the rise in Britain.
When symptoms occur in someone under 65, it is referred to as young-onset dementia, which can be caused by different factors, including genetics, head injuries or lifestyle factors.
Of those with a recorded diagnosis of dementia on January 31, 2026, 34,524 received their diagnosis before the age of 65, accounting for 6.8 per cent of all cases.
However, the number of people – of all ages – who have dementia is likely to be much higher as the symptoms are often dismissed as signs of slipping into middle or old age, or shrugged off as being evidence of other conditions.
Experts have previously warned that younger people in particular are largely unaware of the unique warning signs of dementia, and that they differ from the well established symptom of memory loss seen in older people.
Previously writing for The Conversation, Molly Murray, an expert in young-onset dementia from the University of West Scotland, said that for many patients, the first sign of the condition is a problem with their eyes.
‘Research shows that for around one third of people with young-onset Alzheimer’s disease [the most common form of dementia], the earliest symptoms they had were problems with coordination and vision changes,’ she wrote.
Everyone experiences dementia differently. Use this checklist to help you make a note of your symptoms before you talk to your GP.
These problems can manifest as difficulty reading or coordinating movements, such as while getting dressed.
Critically, this occurs without any physical deterioration in eyesight as the problem is instead in how the brain processes visual information.
Another sign of young-onset dementia is language problems.
Examples of these include trouble using the correct words in a sentence or taking long pauses when speaking.
Patients can also experience strange personality changes, such as loss of a social filter, causing them to appear rude or insensitive.
These signs can also occur in older dementia patients, but they appear to be far rarer, only occurring in about one in 20 cases.
Ms Murray added that these changes are also more common among rarer forms of dementia like frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
FTD, while a fraction of overall cases, is far more common among younger patients, accounting for about two in five young dementia diagnoses.
The first signs of FTD are often changes in language and behaviour due to the specific parts of the brain it affects.
Ms Murray said there needs to be greater awareness of the different symptoms young-onset dementia can trigger, both among the public and medics.
‘The misunderstanding that dementia is a disease of older adults leaves people with young-onset dementia fighting to be heard,’ she wrote.
‘Rarer dementias are also linked to atypical symptoms, which often go missed. This prolongs the diagnostic journey.
She added that part of the challenge is that many of the potential symptoms of young-onset dementia can also be attributed to other conditions, such as menopause in women, as well as a period of burnout.
Getting an earlier diagnosis for dementia is considered critical at any age, as while the condition is incurable, treatments can combat symptoms and sometimes slow progression.
Scientists aren’t yet sure of the drivers behind the increase, but believe it may be due to the same factors causing an uptick in the condition in all ages.
These include increasing rates of obesity, poor diets and greater awareness of the condition.
Several famous faces have been struck by young-onset dementia, including ITV’s Fiona Phillips, author Sir Terry Pratchett and actor Robin Williams.
Phillips, who presented ITV’s GMTV (now Good Morning Britain) between 1997 and 2008, was given the news she had dementia in 2022.
Just 62 at the time, she was told her condition was caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
She said she was suffering with brain fog and anxiety in the months before her diagnosis.
Phillips, who has a family history of Alzheimer’s, said she had anticipated a diagnosis would hit her in her 80s.
She has suggested the early hours involved with her 11-year stint of presenting breakfast television could be one reason she developed Alzheimer’s at such a young age.
Michelle Dyson CB, Chief Executive Officer at Alzheimer’s Society, said: ‘Dementia is often mistaken as a condition that only affects older people, but it can occur much earlier.
‘Everyone living with dementia should be able to get an early and accurate diagnosis. This helps people access care, support and treatment, plan for the future, and participate in research. For those with young-onset dementia, it’s also vital that tailored age-appropriate support is provided to help meet their needs.
‘To help ensure everyone can get the diagnosis they deserve, we need to see bold and ambitious new diagnosis rate targets set for the future, coupled with long-term investment in the people and tools needed to diagnose more people early and accurately.
‘The Government’s Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia provides an ideal opportunity to do this – with rapid developments in diagnosis and treatment, we must seize the moment to make dementia a priority.’