01
Dementia research
Studies may focus on causes, diagnosis, treatments or living well with dementia.
Evidence to look forCheck research priorities, published work and the stage of development.
Find your cause · Make an informed choice
Dementia charities in the UK
Dementia and Alzheimer’s charities fund research and provide day care, respite and family support services.
Quick answer
How do I compare dementia charities?
Dementia charities include research funders and organisations providing information, practical help and support for carers. Compare the relevant programme, stage of support and local availability before using financial scores to inform a shortlist.
Start with the work
What do dementia charities do?
The same cause can involve very different services. Use these distinctions to choose what you want to support, then compare organisations doing similar work.
02
Day-to-day support
Information, groups and practical support may be offered locally or remotely.
Evidence to look forCheck referral, accessibility, support needs and whether carers can participate.
03
Carer support and respite
Programmes may focus on family wellbeing, advice or breaks from caring.
Evidence to look forAsk about eligibility, trained support, availability and feedback from carers.
Choosing dementia charities to support
Begin with the difference you want your donation to make. A useful shortlist brings together your priorities, the charity’s actual programme and evidence you can check.
1. Match the organisation and appeal
Check the registered name, charity number and official contact details on the profile and regulator link. Confirm that the appeal and payment destination belong to that organisation. Similar names, local branches and international affiliates can represent different legal entities.
2. Read the evidence for the programme
Look for a defined goal, the people or places reached, the reporting period and what changed. Ask whether the figures count unique people, repeated contacts or activities. Read limitations and follow-up, and distinguish a charity’s own report from an independent evaluation.
3. Compare finances in context
Check the accounts year, income, expenditure, reserves where disclosed and current registration context. Research grants, direct services and campaigning have different cost structures. Missing data does not mean zero spending, and a low overhead ratio does not prove stronger results.
4. Check the terms of your gift
Establish whether a donation supports general work or a named appeal. Check restrictions, what happens if plans change and any ongoing commitment before giving. Follow a trusted official link and keep the confirmation so you can refer back to the stated terms.
Sources and selection notes
Organisation descriptions below support the attributed examples and provider information. The comparison questions are CharityCompare’s editorial guidance. Financial data comes from the dated filings identified on each profile. Read our editorial responsibilities and interests and request a sourced correction.
Financial evidence
Compare dementia charity ratings
43 currently rated matches, showing the 12 highest Clarity Scores. Ordered by financial and disclosure score, with equal scores listed alphabetically. This is not a ranking of impact. Payment never changes scores. Matches use registered names and reported activities; confirm the particular programme on each profile.
| Charity | Score | Cause spend | Income | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEMENTIA FORWARD | 97 | 99% | £1.8m | Local |
| DEMENTIA ADVENTURE TRUST | 96 | 87% | £1.1m | UK-wide |
| Sage House, Tangmere | 94 | 82% | £1.5m | Local |
| SWANSEA CARERS' CENTRE | 94 | 100% | £1.1m | Local |
| SPADEWORK LIMITED | 93 | 97% | £2.5m | Local |
| Younger People With Dementia CIO | 93 | 96% | £933k | Local |
| West Sussex Mind | 92 | 97% | £3.6m | Local |
| Beyond Dementia | 91 | 95% | £2.5m | Local |
| AGE UK KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA | 90 | 93% | £2.9m | Local |
| PARKHAVEN TRUST | 90 | 100% | £7.7m | Local |
| CARE SOUTH | 88 | 100% | £63m | Local |
| ST LUKE'S CHESHIRE HOSPICE | 88 | 67% | £8.7m | Local |
Explore further
More dementia charity profiles
165 additional basic profiles match our registered-name search, with up to 12 shown alphabetically. These profiles do not have a Clarity Score. A name match alone does not establish relevance, service availability or effectiveness.
- Action for DementiaRegistered charity № 1164348
- Action on Dementia SunderlandRegistered charity № 1177401
- Age Concern Eastwood Dementia ProjectRegistered charity № SC022539
- All Sorts Dementia Group CIORegistered charity № 1206634
- Alzheimer Café Isle of WightRegistered charity № 1171437
- Alzheimer Cafe UKRegistered charity № 1165335
- Alzheimer ScotlandRegistered charity № SC022315
- Alzheimer's & Dementia Support ServicesRegistered charity № 1173379
- Alzheimer's Dementia UK CIORegistered charity № 1199723
- Alzheimer's Foundation for Research Into Alzheimer's Disease.Registered charity № 1075535
- Alzheimer's Research UKRegistered charity № SC042474
- Alzheimers Dementia SupportRegistered charity № 1143867
Dementia charities: your questions answered
Should I compare dementia research and care charities together?
You can explore both, but assess their contributions separately. Research progress, quality of care and carer experience are different outcomes. A spending ratio is not a measure of how well each achieves its purpose.
What do dementia charity ratings tell me?
CharityCompare Clarity Scores summarise financial and disclosure measures from the dated filings shown on each profile. They do not establish programme effectiveness, clinical quality or the suitability of a service for an individual. Read the accounts period, missing-data notes and regulatory context before using a score.
How are charities included in this comparison?
Rated profiles are matched against registered names and activities reported on the register; basic profiles are matched by registered name. These automated matches can miss relevant work or include a different focus. Our 43 rated matches and 165 additional basic matches are not an official UK-wide count. Check each charity’s actual activities.