North Edinburgh News – Page 3141 – The NEN

Latest Minimum Wage cheats named and shamed

Businesses named in the care, retail and hospitality sectors

A further 70 employers who failed to pay their workers the National Minimum Wage (NMW) have been named today by Business Minister Jo Swinson, bringing the overall total named and shamed to 162. None of the latest batch are Scottish companies.

Between them, these 70 employers owed workers a total of over £157,000 in arrears and have been charged financial penalties totalling over £70,000.

The government has already named 92 employers since the new naming regime came into force in October 2013. They had total arrears of over £316,000 and total penalties of over £111,000.

To support the minimum wage crackdown, the government will also be increasing HMRC’s £9.2 million enforcement budget by a further £3 million, helping to fund more than 70 extra compliance officers.

Business Minister Jo Swinson said:

Paying less than the minimum wage is illegal, immoral and completely unacceptable. Naming and shaming gives a clear warning to employers who ignore the rules, that they will face reputational consequences as well as financial penalties of up to £20,000 if they don’t pay the minimum wage.

We’re working hard in areas where we know there are particular problems, like the care sector, to make sure staff are paid fairly for the hard work they do.

We are legislating through the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill so that this penalty can be applied to each underpaid worker rather than per employer.

We are helping workers recover the hundreds of thousands of pounds in pay owed to them as well as raising awareness to make sure workers are paid fairly in the first place.

The government examines non-compliance in a number of ways and takes action where it identifies particular problems or challenges. Around 100 care sector cases are currently being investigated and 3 employers have been publically named, for failing to pay the minimum wage. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has also launched 6 proactive investigations into the largest employers in the care sector.

Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb said:

We want a fairer society where everyone gets the care they deserve – to do this we need a skilled, valued and fairly paid workforce. There is absolutely no excuse for employers that fail to pay the minimum wage.

We know the 100 care companies being investigated are just the tip of the iceberg in the care sector and are absolutely committed to getting back the wages people have worked so hard for. We will continue to name, shame and fine these employers until every care provider gets the message.

HMRC is working with the Department of Health, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services and the care sector to understand more about the causes of non-compliance with the national minimum wage in the care sector and to raise awareness of the minimum wage with employers and care workers. This includes making sure that employees know how to complain if they believe they are not being paid the national minimum wage.

The 70 employers named today are:

East Midlands Crossroads – Caring for Carers, Nottingham, neglected to pay £37,592.56 to 184 workers
Delcom Systems Ltd, Salisbury neglected to pay £11,731.52 to a worker
S Hanns LLP, Chatham neglected to pay £8,448.84 to a worker
The Apostolic Church trading as James Kane Nursery, London, neglected to pay £8,347.71 to 2 workers
Young Friends Nursery Ltd, Hove, neglected to pay £6,789.71 to a worker
Station Garage (Little Weighton) Ltd, Little Weighton neglected to pay £5,440.77 to 2 workers
KRCS (Digital Solutions) Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £5,161.85 to 5 workers
Mrs Shirley Elvin trading as Seaton Garage & Engineering Co, Hull, neglected to pay £4,840.31 to a worker
Pontcanna Hair Studio Ltd, Cardiff, neglected to pay £4,784.34 to a worker
Carol Ann Daker trading as Swan Hill House Residential Home, Shropshire, neglected to pay £4,395.78 to 27 workers
Hobby Horse Ltd, Plymouth, neglected to pay £4,049.31 to a worker
Fylde Coast Pizza Ltd trading as Papa Johns, Blackpool, neglected to pay £3,949.62 to 14 workers
Manleys Ltd, Belfast, neglected to pay £3,797.83 to 3 workers
J B Howard and Son Ltd, Leyland, neglected to pay £3,469.96 to 7 workers
Mr L Tolman & Mr S Blanchard trading as Mardi Gras Hotel, Blackpool, neglected to pay £3,206.76 to 3 workers
Stafforce Personnel Ltd, Rotherham, neglected to pay £3,044.79 to 63 workers
Best Start Ltd trading as Tiny Treasures Day Care Nursery, Birmingham, neglected to pay £2,928.95 to 2 workers
Maybury Automotive Ltd, Woking, neglected to pay £2,670.88 to 2 workers
C&R Tyres Ltd, Kelso, neglected to pay £2,261.60 to 3 workers
SSE PLC, Perth neglected to pay £2,233.95 to 5 workers
Encore Envelopes Ltd, Washington, neglected to pay £2,060.09 to a worker
SmileyWorld Ltd, London, neglected to pay £1,729.00 to a worker
Mancroft Ltd, Leeds, neglected to pay £1,172.97 to 3 workers
Kevin & Bernadette Farrell trading as Derrygonnelly Autos, Enniskillen, neglected to pay £1,690.35 to a worker
Delves Food & Wine Stop Ltd trading as Loco, Walsall, neglected to pay £1,152.48 to a worker
Webe (Chelmsford) Ltd, Chelmsford, neglected to pay £1,521.98 to 4 workers
Gregson Lane Garage Ltd, Preston, neglected to pay £1,431.57 to 2 workers
Ms Julie Ann Wright trading as The Worx, Portadown, neglected to pay £1,110.60 to a worker
Mr S Partridge & Ms M Shead trading as Cobblers Fine Sandwiches & Pastries, Wakefield, neglected to pay £1,003.83 to a worker
Mr Phillip Campbell & Mrs Lorraine Campbell trading as Supervalu Kells, Ballymena, neglected to pay £905.86 to 2 workers
Mr C Pask trading as Pask Hair & Beauty, Derby, neglected to pay £900.00 to 2 workers
J&G Salon Ltd trading as Jealousi & Garlands, Tamworth, neglected to pay £881.28 to a worker
Faster Fit Tyres Ltd, Scunthorpe, neglected to pay £719.30 to a worker
Mrs Karen Aitken trading as Angel Hair Design, Darlington, neglected to pay £703.33 to a worker
Clearshot Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £684.94 to a worker
Everest Express Ltd, Lincoln, neglected to pay £657.03 to a worker
Leisure Emporium Ltd trading as Brown’s Cafe Bar & Bistro, Nottingham, neglected to pay £643.86 to a worker
Mrs S Walker trading as Alleyways Fish & Chips, Scarborough, neglected to pay £601.59 to a worker
Gary & Toni Valentine trading as The Harbour Inn, Seaton, neglected to pay £584.42 to a worker
Shreeji Barnsley Ltd trading as Coffee Delight, Buxton, neglected to pay £555.70 to a worker
Rowe Sparkes Solicitors Ltd, Southsea, neglected to pay £530.96 to a worker
Fish Hairdressing Company Ltd, trading as Fish Hairdressing, Maidstone neglected to pay £521.82 to 3 workers
Mrs Deborah Adcock trading as LJ Beauty & Hair, Seaham, neglected to pay £463.60 to a worker
D&D Dies Ltd, Nottingham, neglected to pay £446.37 to a worker
G Joynson, D Joynson and C Joynson trading as Headquarters, Withernsea, neglected to pay £430.07 to a worker
Matchesfashion Ltd, London, neglected to pay £375.61 to 2 workers
Colin Saich trading as Lindcoly Kennels, Bury St. Edmunds, neglected to pay £338.41 to 9 workers
Inn2inns Ltd, Middlesbrough, neglected to pay £323.10 to 2 workers
99p Land Ltd, Swindon, neglected to pay £315.26 to a worker
General Tarleton Ltd, Knaresborough, neglected to pay £300.62 to 6 workers
Western Computer Group Ltd, Bristol, neglected to pay £287.54 to a worker
Matrix Electrical Engineering Ltd, Harlow neglected to pay £286.60 to a worker
Honeybees Childcare Ltd, Preston, neglected to pay £276.30 to a worker
Mr G J Pearce trading as Sheppards Wood Service Station, Nottingham, neglected to pay £268.56 to a worker
The Mirrors Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £262.87 to a worker
A1 Techsol Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £233.47 to a worker
Mrs J Cole trading as Rayleigh Retreat, Rayleigh £231.73 to a worker
Hamlet Homes Properties Ltd, Westcliff-on-Sea neglected to pay £226.40 to a worker
Smartmove Property Specialists Ltd, Aldershot, neglected to pay £206.36 to a worker
EYFS Ltd trading as Oak Tree Day Nursery, London, neglected to pay £181.41 to a worker
Mr & Mrs P Munn trading as Merry Maids of the Weald, Tonbridge, neglected to pay £169.56 to a worker
Mr H Singleton trading as Willowbank Builders, Huddersfield, neglected to pay £163.89 to a worker
Professional Referral Services Ltd, Wigan, neglected to pay £156.93 to 2 workers
Amtec Computer Corporation Ltd, Ferndown, neglected to pay £149.64 to a worker
Lychgate Coffee Ltd, Wolverhampton, neglected to pay £124.39 to a worker
Finite International Logistics Ltd, Penarth, neglected to pay £119.92 to a worker
Drummonds Ltd, Manchester, neglected to pay £113.58 to a worker
Grove Mechanical Services Ltd, Magherafelt, neglected to pay £107.00 to 2 workers
Lin Chinese Takeaway Ltd, Stoke-on-Trent, neglected to pay £103.00 to a worker
Mr Assad Madani trading as Donapapa Pizza, Durham, neglected to pay £101.64 a worker

The 70 cases named today were thoroughly investigated by HM Revenue and Customs.

The scheme was revised in October 2013 to make it simpler to name and shame employers that do not comply with minimum wage rules.

Employers who are unsure of National Minimum Wage rules, and employees who would like advice or to complain that they are not receiving the National Minimum Wage, can get free advice via the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 917 2368 or by visiting GOV.UK.

Breast’s best to get off to a good start

Murrayfield summit aims to improve breastfeeding rates

Experts will come together in Edinburgh today to explore ways to encourage and support more mothers to breastfeed for longer. Off to a Good Start, a new guide for breastfeeding mothers, will also be launched at the event.

The first Scottish Breastfeeding Summit, organised by the Scottish Government, takes place at Murrayfield and will be attended by key players from across the health service, local authorities and the third sector.

Delegates will look at what can be done to improve breastfeeding rates, which have improved over the last decade, but still remain relatively static.

A new guide for breastfeeding mothers, Off To A Good Start, will be launched at the event. The booklet has been produced by NHS Health Scotland after listening to feedback from pregnant women, new mothers and their families. It will be provided free to all health boards and given out to all pregnant women in Scotland.

Scotland is the only country in the UK to have legislation in place that prevents discrimination against women who breastfeed in public.

Maureen Watt, Minister for Public Health, said: “This summit is a chance to share what is working well and come up with some fresh ideas to help increase breastfeeding rates. This is one of the best things any mother can do to give their child a healthy start in life, so it’s absolutely vital that women have all the help and support they need.

“Research shows that women who understand the health benefits for their child are more likely to take it up, so getting that information to them is important. But this is also about identifying barriers that exist, and finding ways around them.”

Childcare Academy: two places left

We have 2 places left for 16 & 17 year olds for our Childcare Academy. If you or anyone you know is in this age group and interested, could you get in touch ASAP.

February 2015 CA Publicity Poster 16

Childcare Academy Standard Information

Audrey O’Neill
Training Administrator, North Edinburgh Childcare

0131 311 6931
www.northedinburghchildcare.co.uk

Summit to tackle child abuse

“We must act now to ensure we offer the best protection to all of our children and young people. This summit is a welcome step in that direction.” – ACC Malcolm Graham, Police Scotland

The Scottish Government is to host a summit on protecting our children and young people this week. Ministers, local authorities and children’s charities will meet in Edinburgh on Wednesday to discuss how they can work together to ensure child protection policies are as robust as possible to keep our young people safe.

Local authorities across Scotland are attending the summit alongside police, health boards, Children in Scotland, Barnardo’s Scotland, WithScotland, the Care inspectorate and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Children’s charities, police and young people are being consulted on the shape of the campaign to ensure it reaches those who are at risk of exploitation and makes a real measurable difference to tackling the issue, and a wide-ranging public information campaign to tackle child sexual exploitation is being launched by the Scottish Government later this year.

The Scottish Government unveiled a national action plan on child sexual exploitation to the Scottish Parliament last November which was published alongside a report from Children in Scotland Chief Executive Jackie Brock into the working of the Scottish Child Protection System.

The summit was one of the key recommendations of the report to address the findings of recent Care Inspectorate reports and ensure roles and responsibilities are clear.

Education Secretary Angela Constance said: “The safety and wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for this Government and an issue we take extremely seriously. That’s why we work continuously with law enforcement, children’s charities, Parliament and others to protect children from abuse and target those who attempt to prey on them.

“This week’s summit, our wide ranging national action plan and the commissioning of the Jackie Brock report are a few of a number of steps we are taking to protect our children. Our public information campaign to be launched this year will build on this activity to safeguard young people at risk before they become targets of this terrible crime.”

Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham, Police Scotland lead for Public Protection said: “Protecting children and tackling all forms of child abuse is a priority for Police Scotland. It is a complex and challenging area of policing, often with different challenges in different areas. As Police Scotland, we bring a consistent approach to tackling offending against children in all its forms: child abuse or child sexual exploitation, and increasingly, online offending which can add an international dimension to our investigations.

“Prevention has to be our focus going forward and we are committed to working collaboratively with our local partners, both statutory and non-statutory and within local communities, to identify where there is risk and to take a proactive, multi agency approach to protecting children and young people. More than anything we must listen to young people and build their confidence that they will be heard and that we will act.

“Our new National Child Abuse Investigation Unit, which will be deployed into each of our 14 divisions when there are complex enquiries and as part of the local multi agency response to child protection, will enhance further our approach to supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice.

“We must act now to ensure we offer the best protection to all of our children and young people. This summit is a welcome step in that direction.”

Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “We are pleased to be contributing to this important event which demonstrates a serious commitment to tackling the horrendous crime of child sexual exploitation.

”Barnardo’s Scotland has over 20 years experience of supporting exploited children and we know it is vital that all agencies work together to both support children and tackle the perpetrators of these vile crimes.”

ADHD Support Group at Muirhouse Library

An informal parents and carers support group for children with ADHD and Autistic spectrum disorders (it doesn’t matter whether your child is diagnosed or not)

*** Every first Wednesday of the month ***

Drop in between 10.15-12pm at Muirhouse Library

Tea, coffee & biscuits will be available

For more details please contact:

Karma (email karmalennon@hotmail.com)

or Jamie on caitlinkal2003@gmail.com

adhd support group

Auld Reekie to face Cambridge Rollerbillies

Tickets to the next Auld Reekie Roller Girls game just £5 when you sign up to the league’s newsletter

ARRG’s all-women roller derby team the All-Star Reserves hope to hit, whip and skate their way to victory against Cambridge Rollerbillies when they clash this Saturday.

The game will bring all the big hits and speedy skating to fans rooting for the Edinburgh girls to complete an Oxbridge double, after beating an Oxford team last month.

All Star Reserves’ captain Kiki said: “We’re so pumped for the last All Star Reserves game of the season and can’t wait to channel our amazing training into this game!”

However, the Cambridge team comes fresh from winning the Heartland Series tournament of 24 English and Welsh teams, with a stunning 184-59 score against Plymouth City Roller Girls. The Cambridge skaters have proved themselves fit, speedy and strong and are sure to bring their new skills and strategy to their game against Auld Reekie.

The All-Star Reserves hope to get loud support from the Edinburgh crowd on their home ground at Meadowbank Sports Centre in a fast and fierce demonstration of athleticism on wheels.

Supporters can also snap up merchandise and tuck into home-made cakes at the game on Saturday (28 February) from 2pm.

Tickets for Auld Reekie Roller Girls’ All Star Reserves vs Cambridge Rollerbillies are £8 on the door or £7 from the Brown Paper Tickets website. (www.brownpapertickets.com/event/1017167)

Free entry for children aged under 14 and only £5 if you sign up to the ARRG newsletter on the arrg.co.uk website.

Community anger over poor street lighting

Concern is growing over the poor quality of new street lighting in North Edinburgh. New ‘green’ low-energy lights have been installed over the weekend but residents say the lights are too dim and will encourage more crime and antisocial behaviour.

The energy-efficient LED bulbs are expected to save nearly 40 per cent on the £3m spent lighting the city each year, but for some residents in North Edinburgh the lights just aren’t bright enough. They say that the dark streets will encourage more crime – in an area that has been blighted by crime and antisocial behaviour over recent months.

Local resident Lorraine McTigue said: “These lights were installed yesterday in my street, I thought there had been a blackout; the place is almost pitch black other than house lights now … terrible.”

Another said: “This is crazy. When there is already a huge problem with kids running wild and vandalism nearly every night, why reduce the power of the street lights? Is this all about the council saving money? Well, they might save on the lighting bill but they’ll be paying out a lot more to repair damage caused by vandalism. They just don’t care about the people who live here who will be frightened to go out at night, and it will be us who will have to find the money to get our vandalised cars repaired. Things are bad enough as it is, but this will make things even worse down here.”

Will the council see the light? We’ll keep you posted …

Nicola of the hundred days

First Minister marks milestone with focus on young people

Opportunities for young people in Scotland will be the focus for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon this week as she approaches her 100th day in office.

On Friday (27 February) it will be 100 days since the First Minister was sworn in by the Scottish Parliament, and she will begin the week by travelling to London to see first-hand how an attainment challenge has helped some of the poorest children in society.

The visit follows the recent announcement by the First Minister of the £100 million Attainment Scotland Fund, which will draw on the lessons learned by the London Challenge scheme as part of our efforts to improve education outcomes in Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

On Wednesday, the First Minister will announce further support to help young people into employment and living wage jobs, ahead of a speech at the David Hume Institute entitled what sort of Scotland do we want to create?

That speech will outline her commitment to removing the barriers that limit opportunity in Scotland, as she set out her vision for a Scotland based on prosperity, fairness and participation.

On Friday, Ms Sturgeon will mark her 100th day in office by visiting GlaxoSmithKline in Irvine to announce a new initiative to encourage more young women to take up modern apprenticeships.

The First Minister said: “When I became First Minister in November, I set out how I wanted to run a Government with the strongest focus on boosting our economy, tackling inequality and protecting public services.

“And I hope over these last months I have demonstrated my commitment to making this a better country in which everyone can live and work.

“Central to that is a strong economy that helps us build the prosperous and fair Scotland we all want to see. As I said on the day that I was sworn in as First Minister – the biggest investment we can make in Scotland’s future is in our people.

“That is why it is hugely important to make sure that all of our young people – no matter what their background or where they come from – have the very best chance to get on in life. That is how we not only improve lives but also grow our economy.

“So as we approach my 100th day in office, I am focused on delivering for the young people of Scotland, by improving attainment in Scotland’s schools, opening up job opportunities and encouraging more young women to improve their skills and get on in life by taking up a modern apprenticeship.”

Trinity CC February News

‘Without intervention traffic and parking in Trinity will rise’

See below for the latest news from Trinity Community Council, whose latest meeting focused on parking, an issue of concern raised by several residents …

Do you have an opinion on traffic and/or parking issues in Trinity? Please share your thoughts with Trinity Community Council, who would be interested to hear your views.

To get in touch, email tcc-comms@outlook.com

1502 ebulletin

Britain leading the fight against dementia

Britain will expand its efforts to combat dementia over the next 5 years, the Prime Minister David Cameron said today as he set out a new, long-term strategy focused on boosting research, improving care and raising public awareness about the condition.

Britain has emerged as the world leader in fighting dementia since 2010 with investment in research doubled, hundreds of thousands of NHS staff given specialist training and 1 million ‘Dementia Friends’ taking part in awareness sessions across the country.

The Prime Minister wants to build on that momentum both in the UK and worldwide. The Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia 2020 is the next phase in the country’s effort to combat the condition and includes:

Over £300m invested in UK research

The UK government will invest over £300 million into UK research and medical innovation, backing the country’s world-leading science and medical sectors to lead the way in discovering the next big breakthrough. Annual investment in UK research is expected to double by 2025. Alongside this effort, an international dementia institute will be established in England within 5 years, helping to make the UK a world leader for research on dementia and medical trials. It is hoped the number of people taking part in dementia research will double in that time and a new online and telephone service to facilitate people taking part in dementia research studies will be launched next week.

New global fund on dementia

A separate multi-million pound fund will be launched within weeks to help establish a large-scale, international investment scheme to discover new drugs and treatment that could slow down the onset of dementia or even deliver a cure by 2025. The fund will see investors from the private, public and philanthropic sectors unite under a single scheme to finance a range of research projects identified by scientists as having the best potential for future success.

One million NHS staff trained

All NHS staff – some 1.3 million people – will now be required to undergo training in dementia so that people have the know-how and understanding to provide the best possible standards in care, from hospital porters to surgeons.

Three million more ‘Dementia Friends’

A world-leading call to action on dementia will see 3 million more trained to understand about dementia and how to best support people who may have the condition. Members of the public will be able to take part in free sessions in schools, church halls or their own work places. By 2020 the majority of people in England will be living in towns and cities that have been transformed into dementia-friendly communities , making shops, transport and other public places accessible to people with dementia. Business will play its part, with M&S, Asda, Argos, Homebase and Lloyd’s banking group training staff to become Dementia Friends.

Faster assessments, better care for all

Nationally, initial dementia assessments will take place in an average of 6 weeks, followed by better support post-diagnosis. GP diagnosis rates have increased from 42% to 59% in just 3 years but too many people are waiting up to 6 months for a full assessment, causing worry and uncertainty for people and their families. This will no longer be tolerated. There will also be a greater focus on the support given to people following their diagnosis such as giving people with dementia better information about the services available locally, as well as advice and support for carers.

Announcing the plan, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, said:

“Dementia is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime, and I am proud that we are leading the world in fighting it.

“Because of the growing strength of our economy, we can invest in research and drug-development, as well as public understanding, so we defeat this terrible condition and offer more hope and dignity for those who suffer.

“That way, we can help make Britain a country that offers security in retirement for all.”

Dementia is a growing problem. In 10 years it is expected there will be one million people living with dementia in the UK.

The Prime Minister has made it a key priority to overhaul the UK’s approach to dementia, launching the Prime Minister’s Challenge on Dementia in 2012, and hosting the first-ever dedicated G8 event on dementia in 2013 to secure greater global cooperation between leading nations.

Significant progress has been made in improving health and care for people with dementia and carers, creating dementia friendly communities, and boosting dementia research.

This includes:

introducing the first-ever World Dementia Envoy, spearheading a global approach to the fight against dementia, driven through the G8 dementia summit in 2013
over 437,920 NHS staff have already received dementia training and more than 100,000 social care workers have received dementia awareness training, more than any other country worldwide
there are now 1 million dementia friends and 82 areas across England have signed up become dementia-friendly communities
diagnosis rates in the UK are the highest in the world, increased from 42% to 59% and on track to reach two thirds, ensuring more people than ever before get the care and support they need.
the UK has doubled research funding since 2009 to over £66m in 2015. This investment includes major research on issues that matter to people with dementia and their carers, such as the world’s largest – £20 million – social science research programme on dementia. It also includes Dementias Platform UK (DPUK), a 5-year £53 million public private partnership led by the Medical Research Council, the world’s largest dementia population study.
we have achieved a world-leading 52% fall in the level of prescribing of antipsychotic medication to people with dementia.

The number of people living with dementia worldwide today is estimated at 44 million people, set to almost double by 2030.

The cost to healthcare is huge, with dementia now one of the greatest pressures on healthcare systems around the world. It costs an incredible estimated £370 billion (US $604 billion) – about 1% of the world’s GDP. And, without urgent action this is set to rise.

However, global spending on dementia is at 5 times below research on cancer, with only 3 new drugs making it onto the market in the last 15 years.

The World Dementia Envoy, Dennis Gillings, said: “We have momentum. Awareness of dementia is increasing and action is being taken, and that will ensure the condition is managed far better in our society. More treatments are on the horizon but we must continue to invest in research and drug development. David Cameron’s outstanding leadership is having huge effect.”

Simon Lovestone, Professor of Translational Neuroscience, University of Oxford, said: “Dementia is the biggest single problem facing health services today. Worldwide, it poses an enormous challenge and demands an urgent and substantial response from governments and from the research community.

“In the UK we are rising to this challenge and with the Alzheimer’s Research UK Drug Discovery Alliance, launched this week, with the Dementias Platform UK launched at the beginning of the year and with the network of Biomedical Research Centres and Units for dementia funded by the NIHR, together with this commitment for substantial increased in funding for research and innovation, we are in a good position to lead, collaboratively across Europe, North America and beyond, a substantial fight against this terrible disease.

“The opportunity, which I think we have a realistic chance of delivering on, is novel therapies for dementia that will slow down, and perhaps even prevent Alzheimer’s and similar diseases.”

Hilary Evans, Charity Director, Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “Over the past three years we’ve seen the Prime Minister’s Challenge play a pivotal role in creating a heightened focus on dementia and boosting the case for more research. Alzheimer’s Research UK is proud to have spearheaded the research challenge and successfully launched a number of pioneering global initiatives that will bring us ever closer to finding a cure.

“Since 2012, we’ve launched a £100 million fundraising campaign which, in addition to our existing research projects, will see a pioneering new Stem Cell Research Centre, a powerful network of world-class Drug Discovery Institutes to fast-track new treatments and a Global Clinical Trials Fund to allow new treatments to reach people sooner.

“Today represents an opportunity to reflect on the progress made so far, but we owe it to the 850,000 people in the UK with dementia to build on this work with even bolder commitments. It is vital that we continue to energise a movement across society to improve the lives of people with dementia and that research into the condition continues to be a priority.”

Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Our researchers, staff and volunteers who are delivering support to people with dementia nationwide now sit as part of a national movement more than a million strong.

“Dementia Friends is truly changing attitudes and capturing the public’s attention. Together we are transforming lives today and reaching out for preventative treatments and a cure tomorrow. This government has rightly prioritised dementia. We would all acknowledge the work that remains to be done, but the PM deserves credit for the phenomenal achievement in getting dementia on the national and global agenda and this has resulted in significant progress.”