England - October to December 2025
Published 5 March 2026
Summary
Between October and December 2025:
There were 1.3 million drugs for dementia prescribed to an estimated 287,000 identified patients.
The cost of prescribed drugs for dementia was £8 million.
1. Things you should know
Drugs for dementia are described in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.11:
- 0411000D0 - Donepezil hydrochloride
- 0411000E0 - Rivastigmine
- 0411000F0 - Galantamine
- 0411000G0 - Memantine hydrochloride
1.1. Drugs for dementia
Dementia is a progressive clinical syndrome characterised by a range of cognitive and behavioural symptoms that can include memory loss, problems with reasoning and communication, a change in personality, and a reduced ability to carry out daily activities such as washing or dressing. There are over 100 different types of dementia. The most common forms are:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Vascular dementia
- Dementia with Lewy bodies
- Pick’s disease
- Huntington’s disease
- Alcohol-related dementia
- HIV/AIDS related dementia
Dementia mainly affects older people but can also occur in people as young as thirty, due to either alcohol abuse or HIV/AIDS. No cure for dementia currently exists. However, drugs may slow the rate of decline or, in some patients, make a small improvement in symptoms. Despite this, disease progression is inevitable.
You can find more information about the various types of dementia on the NHS website.
2. Results - Drugs for dementia
Number of prescribed items and identified patients by financial quarter - BNF 4.11: Drugs for dementia
Chart
Figure 1: Drugs for dementia items and identified patients increased in Q3 2025/26
Table
Table 1: Drugs for dementia items and identified patients increased in Q3 2025/26
| Financial quarter | BNF section name | Total prescribed items | Identified patients |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 982,014 | 223,757 |
| 2021/2022 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 996,880 | 223,836 |
| 2021/2022 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 1,022,086 | 228,030 |
| 2021/2022 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 1,031,912 | 231,152 |
| 2021/2022 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 1,016,162 | 232,283 |
| 2022/2023 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 1,038,052 | 234,161 |
| 2022/2023 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 1,055,461 | 237,651 |
| 2022/2023 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 1,075,635 | 241,777 |
| 2022/2023 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 1,068,191 | 243,260 |
| 2023/2024 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 1,080,309 | 246,593 |
| 2023/2024 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 1,113,556 | 252,153 |
| 2023/2024 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 1,148,688 | 258,377 |
| 2023/2024 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 1,139,885 | 260,867 |
| 2024/2025 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 1,166,695 | 263,548 |
| 2024/2025 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 1,204,397 | 268,203 |
| 2024/2025 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 1,229,016 | 272,900 |
| 2024/2025 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 1,194,400 | 274,157 |
| 2025/2026 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 1,229,360 | 276,858 |
| 2025/2026 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 1,264,332 | 281,863 |
| 2025/2026 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 1,293,982 | 286,994 |
Source: Quarterly statistical summary tables - Drugs for dementia
1.3 million drugs for dementia items were prescribed in Q3 2025/26.
287,000 identified patients received at least one drugs for dementia item in Q3 2025/26.
Drugs for dementia items and identified patients continue their upward trend. Items increased by 2.3% and identified patients by 1.8%, compared to the previous quarter.
Cost of prescribing by financial quarter - BNF 4.11: Drugs for dementia
Chart
Figure 2: Drugs for dementia costs decreased in Q3 2025/26 compared to Q2 2025/26
Table
Table 2: Drugs for dementia costs decreased in Q3 2025/26 compared to Q2 2025/26
| Financial quarter | BNF section name | Cost (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| 2020/2021 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 7,254,608.20 |
| 2021/2022 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 7,154,493.18 |
| 2021/2022 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 6,704,328.73 |
| 2021/2022 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 6,356,727.61 |
| 2021/2022 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 6,138,370.02 |
| 2022/2023 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 6,255,712.47 |
| 2022/2023 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 6,239,086.68 |
| 2022/2023 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 6,508,811.10 |
| 2022/2023 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 6,554,312.89 |
| 2023/2024 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 6,684,585.77 |
| 2023/2024 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 6,750,894.62 |
| 2023/2024 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 7,516,020.32 |
| 2023/2024 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 7,947,640.47 |
| 2024/2025 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 7,791,415.53 |
| 2024/2025 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 7,840,965.78 |
| 2024/2025 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 9,023,458.51 |
| 2024/2025 Q4 | Drugs for dementia | 8,295,615.76 |
| 2025/2026 Q1 | Drugs for dementia | 8,409,880.42 |
| 2025/2026 Q2 | Drugs for dementia | 8,769,363.65 |
| 2025/2026 Q3 | Drugs for dementia | 8,000,194.62 |
Source: Quarterly statistical summary tables - Drugs for dementia
In Q3 2025/26, the cost of prescribed drugs for dementia items was £8 million.
Compared to the previous quarter, the cost of drugs for dementia decreased by 8.8% in Q3 2025/26.
Number of prescribed items and identified patients by month - BNF 4.11: Drugs for dementia
Chart
Figure 3: Latest 12-month rolling averages for drugs for dementia items and identified patients increased compared to the previous 12-month period
Table
Table 3: Latest 12-month rolling averages for drugs for dementia items and identified patients increased compared to the previous 12-month period
| Month | BNF section name | Total prescribed items | Identified patients | Rolling average items | Rolling average patients |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 202101 | Drugs for dementia | 330,295 | 185,214 | 340,024 | 188,382 |
| 202102 | Drugs for dementia | 307,722 | 179,149 | 338,071 | 187,600 |
| 202103 | Drugs for dementia | 343,997 | 186,198 | 337,364 | 186,961 |
| 202104 | Drugs for dementia | 333,331 | 186,310 | 334,746 | 186,321 |
| 202105 | Drugs for dementia | 323,087 | 184,472 | 333,901 | 186,056 |
| 202106 | Drugs for dementia | 340,462 | 189,219 | 333,958 | 186,228 |
| 202107 | Drugs for dementia | 344,772 | 190,556 | 333,686 | 186,282 |
| 202108 | Drugs for dementia | 333,145 | 187,932 | 334,758 | 186,685 |
| 202109 | Drugs for dementia | 344,169 | 190,928 | 335,498 | 187,031 |
| 202110 | Drugs for dementia | 330,667 | 187,461 | 334,390 | 186,898 |
| 202111 | Drugs for dementia | 343,889 | 190,621 | 335,537 | 187,293 |
| 202112 | Drugs for dementia | 357,356 | 193,656 | 336,074 | 187,643 |
| 202201 | Drugs for dementia | 340,493 | 190,347 | 336,924 | 188,071 |
| 202202 | Drugs for dementia | 319,682 | 185,853 | 337,921 | 188,629 |
| 202203 | Drugs for dementia | 355,987 | 194,375 | 338,920 | 189,311 |
| 202204 | Drugs for dementia | 339,896 | 190,875 | 339,467 | 189,691 |
| 202205 | Drugs for dementia | 354,086 | 193,433 | 342,050 | 190,438 |
| 202206 | Drugs for dementia | 344,070 | 192,358 | 342,351 | 190,700 |
| 202207 | Drugs for dementia | 344,975 | 193,022 | 342,368 | 190,905 |
| 202208 | Drugs for dementia | 359,193 | 196,532 | 344,539 | 191,622 |
| 202209 | Drugs for dementia | 351,293 | 195,569 | 345,132 | 192,008 |
| 202210 | Drugs for dementia | 354,801 | 197,022 | 347,143 | 192,805 |
| 202211 | Drugs for dementia | 362,293 | 199,101 | 348,677 | 193,512 |
| 202212 | Drugs for dementia | 358,541 | 198,024 | 348,776 | 193,876 |
| 202301 | Drugs for dementia | 360,567 | 199,120 | 350,449 | 194,607 |
| 202302 | Drugs for dementia | 331,568 | 192,329 | 351,439 | 195,147 |
| 202303 | Drugs for dementia | 376,056 | 203,478 | 353,112 | 195,905 |
| 202304 | Drugs for dementia | 340,140 | 196,169 | 353,132 | 196,346 |
| 202305 | Drugs for dementia | 366,717 | 203,452 | 354,184 | 197,181 |
| 202306 | Drugs for dementia | 373,452 | 206,198 | 356,633 | 198,335 |
| 202307 | Drugs for dementia | 365,667 | 206,110 | 358,357 | 199,425 |
| 202308 | Drugs for dementia | 377,233 | 208,699 | 359,861 | 200,439 |
| 202309 | Drugs for dementia | 370,656 | 208,464 | 361,474 | 201,514 |
| 202310 | Drugs for dementia | 379,810 | 211,007 | 363,558 | 202,679 |
| 202311 | Drugs for dementia | 387,153 | 213,427 | 365,630 | 203,873 |
| 202312 | Drugs for dementia | 381,725 | 212,905 | 367,562 | 205,113 |
| 202401 | Drugs for dementia | 393,994 | 216,038 | 370,348 | 206,523 |
| 202402 | Drugs for dementia | 371,317 | 211,273 | 373,660 | 208,102 |
| 202403 | Drugs for dementia | 374,574 | 212,259 | 373,536 | 208,833 |
| 202404 | Drugs for dementia | 390,826 | 216,484 | 377,760 | 210,526 |
| 202405 | Drugs for dementia | 398,328 | 219,162 | 380,395 | 211,836 |
| 202406 | Drugs for dementia | 377,541 | 215,233 | 380,735 | 212,588 |
| 202407 | Drugs for dementia | 415,283 | 223,713 | 384,870 | 214,055 |
| 202408 | Drugs for dementia | 397,520 | 220,986 | 386,561 | 215,079 |
| 202409 | Drugs for dementia | 391,594 | 221,282 | 388,305 | 216,147 |
| 202410 | Drugs for dementia | 415,272 | 225,726 | 391,261 | 217,374 |
| 202411 | Drugs for dementia | 400,307 | 222,852 | 392,357 | 218,159 |
| 202412 | Drugs for dementia | 413,437 | 225,650 | 394,999 | 219,222 |
| 202501 | Drugs for dementia | 420,491 | 227,805 | 397,208 | 220,202 |
| 202502 | Drugs for dementia | 377,977 | 218,177 | 397,762 | 220,777 |
| 202503 | Drugs for dementia | 395,932 | 224,210 | 399,542 | 221,773 |
| 202504 | Drugs for dementia | 403,678 | 225,080 | 400,613 | 222,490 |
| 202505 | Drugs for dementia | 415,961 | 229,144 | 402,083 | 223,322 |
| 202506 | Drugs for dementia | 409,721 | 227,945 | 404,764 | 224,381 |
| 202507 | Drugs for dementia | 436,283 | 235,037 | 406,514 | 225,324 |
| 202508 | Drugs for dementia | 402,578 | 228,901 | 406,936 | 225,984 |
| 202509 | Drugs for dementia | 425,471 | 234,606 | 409,759 | 227,094 |
| 202510 | Drugs for dementia | 437,071 | 236,628 | 411,576 | 228,003 |
| 202511 | Drugs for dementia | 408,302 | 231,778 | 412,242 | 228,747 |
| 202512 | Drugs for dementia | 448,609 | 239,411 | 415,173 | 229,894 |
Source: Quarterly statistical summary tables - Drugs for dementia
An average of 230,000 patients per month received prescribing for drugs for dementia over the 12 months to December 2025.
Total drugs for dementia items increased by 5.1% in the 12 months to December 2025, compared to the previous 12 month period to December 2024.
3. Sections in this release
- Medicines used in Mental Health summary
- BNF Section 4.3 - Antidepressant drugs
- BNF Section 4.1 - Hypnotics and anxiolytics
- BNF Section 4.2 - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders
- BNF Section 4.4 - Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for ADHD
- Medicines used in Mental Health background