THE number of people with dementia in Essex will rise by more than 11,000 over the next decade.

More than 27,000 people are living with dementia across the county.

This is set to rise to more than 38,000 by the year 2030.

The announcement comes following a report commissioned by Alzheimer’s Society from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

It shows more than 60 per cent of social care costs in England will fall on people with dementia and their families each year.

Previous research by Alzheimer’s Society has shown someone with dementia will typically have to spend £100,000 on their care.

Alzheimer’s Society’s call from its Fix Dementia Care campaign is for all political parties to commit to radically reform dementia care. Claire Stockwell-Lance, Alzheimer’s Society area manager for Essex, said: “Dementia is heart-breaking for families.

“It’s not right those going through it have to battle to get the care they need on top of battling the condition.

“From the working mum struggling to find hundreds of pounds every week to ‘top up’ her mum’s council-funded care home place, to the woman who had to sell her home of 50 years to pay for her husband’s care – families affected by dementia are already at breaking point.

“The cost of dementia care is too much for an individual to bear.

“It should be spread between us – just like schools, the NHS and other public services. Every party must go into this election with a solid plan to radically reform dementia care.

“Families in crisis need action, and they need it now.”

This week Alzheimer’s Society launched its manifesto, “Demanding action on dementia”. ahead of the General Election.

It calls for three commitments from the next government.

They are to radically reform dementia care to address the specific needs of people with dementia, ensure people with dementia can participate in their communities on the same basis as everyone else, and close the research funding gap between dementia and other disease areas.

The Alzheimer’s Society is calling on people to back the Fix Dementia Care campaign by signing up at alzheimers.org.uk/fixcampaign.