New report unveils acquired brain injury costs UK economy £43 billion annually, calls for further government action

In the report, acquired brain injury costs in 2023/2024 was an estimated total of £43 billion, equating to approximately 1.5% of UK GDP. It is also estimated that 350,000 individuals acquire a brain injury each year and is a leading cause for death and disability for people aged under 40 in the UK.

The economic impact of acquired brain injuries, which includes traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumours, calls for further government strategy to be implemented in recognising brain injury as a major public issue.

Over half of the costs are accounted for within NHS and social care, with £20 billion spent towards acute and long-term care. A large subset of the economic costs, £21.5 billion, represent the lost productivity of individuals with acquired brain injury and their informal carers due to time taken off work due to illness and rehabilitation, or even premature death.

Additionally, the Criminal Justice System, Department for Education and the Department for Work and Pensions also spend over a collective £3 million towards acquired brain injury. In the UK prison population, there is a notable percentage of individuals with over 60% reporting some form of head injury.

The report goes further to acknowledge the significant scale of costs outside of the initial £43 million in spending. Those who have an acquired brain injury suffer an impact to their wellbeing and quality of life, as well as their loved ones. Through the report, wellbeing costs associated with ABI is a total of £91.5 billion, representing illness and early death, loss of life and impact to informal carers, their partners’ wellbeing, and their children.

Despite the significant impact of acquired brain injury has towards individuals, their loved ones, organisations and economic spend; the report acknowledges that acquired brain injury is often missed as wider public health issue in national policy.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury and the UK Acquired Brain Injury Form present government action on ‘Right to Rehab’, in the implementation of specialist neuro-rehabilitation services to benefit UK communities and ongoing recovery and rehabilitation from acquired brain injury.

Amongst these services, government strategy suggests funding mechanisms, regular reviews through an established committee and investment in data methodologies towards better cost-making decisions for education, mental health and psychiatric care. Matthew Tomlinson, Head of Serious Injury (North) from Slater and Gordon comments, “The new report is a turning point for the UK in recognising acquired brain injury as a significant health issue. It is necessary in showing the true picture of the impact that acquired brain injury has and what more needs to be done in supporting survivors, their loved ones with recovery, wellbeing improvement and specialist care.

As brain injury specialists, we have learnt the real stories of many brain injury survivors and the devastating impact it can cause. With the right government action, this can make such a life-changing impact to so many in the UK.

We have already seen the potential of this through our brain injury charity partners who are doing fantastic work in helping survivors rewrite their journey to recovery. Just imagine how much more can be achieved with better policy and investment.”