The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury is leading calls for the government to recognise brain injury as a major public issue.
Acquired brain injury costs around £43 billion in 2023/2024 which equates to almost 1.5% of UK GDP.
The findings by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury, together with the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum are leading to calls for further government strategy to be implemented in recognising brain injury as a major public issue like cancer, dementia and coronary heart disease.
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, represents 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.
“This isn’t just a debilitating condition for those impacted, who may find themselves suddenly unable to work, function or walk in the way they are used to. It is also a huge cost to society and the economy,” said John Hayes, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group.
“If we are to treat some of the most serious societal problems including addiction, mental health crises and violence, we need to look at the root cause – which in the majority of cases is a brain injury. By giving patients a right to specialist rehabilitation in the communities they live in, we can save money and improve lives,” he continued.
Scale of costs
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 on their well-being and quality of life, as well as their loved ones. According to the report, well-being costs associated with acquired brain injury 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 spending; the report acknowledges that acquired brain injury is often missed as a wider public health issue in national policy.
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.
“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, well-being improvement and specialist care,” said Matthew Tomlinson, head of serious injury (North) at law firm Slater and Gordon.
