Diabetes UK is the charity for all people with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. Every four minutes someone learns that they have diabetes, and right now in the UK 3.8 million people have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes with another 7 million people at high risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Without urgent action the number of people with diabetes will raise to 45 million by 2025. The NHS spends £10 billion a year on diabetes but the vast majority of this goes on treating complications that can lead to lower limb amputation, blindness, kidney failure and stroke. Most of these complications would be avoidable, but absent and inconsistent routine diabetes care results in 24,000 deaths a year in England alone. Diabetes UK is at the forefront of all these challenges. We work to reduce the impact of diabetes on everyone including people with the condition, their families and carers, our health services and the taxpayer.
Diabetes UK provides information and support to help people with their diabetes both practically and emotionally and help people with diabetes to share experiences. Our campaigns promote better diabetes care, and greater awareness of the key signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. We help stem the rising tide of Type 2 Diabetes by promoting a healthy lifestyle, and encouraging people at high risk to to seek early diagnosis and benefit from prompt treatment. We are one of the largest UK funders of diabetes research leading to better prevention, care and the final cure for all forms of diabetes.
Our overriding aim is a better future for everyone affected by diabetes.
We offer care and support to people living with diabetes in a variety of ways. Our Careline service answers over 30,000 calls, emails and messages a year. This service is staffed by professional counsellors and offers both practical information and emotional support. We also hosted 13 care events reaching over 100 families and 320 children. These life-changing events help young people and families learn more about diabetes. Our local Diabetes UK groups offer peer support and information to local communities across the UK.
We invest in research projects with the greatest potential to improve the lives of people with or at high risk of diabetes. We invest about £6 million a year in new and continuing projects. Our local Diabetes UK groups regularly give money to support research projects of their choices.
We want everyone to know their Type 2 Diabetes risk, and if that risk is high make sure they have the right encouragement and advice to reduce the risk. Throughout the year our teams of staff and volunteers tour the UK with our Healthy Lifestyle Roadshow. It's a one-stop shop with information and advice about diabetes including a free risk assessment.
We campaign to improve treatment and services so that people with diabetes can receive the care they are entitled to wherever they live. We work with decision makers and opinion formers locally and nationally to achieve increased awareness of the seriousness of the diabetes challenge, to change policy and practice and to address the variations and shortcomings in diabetes care across the UK. Our campaigns are supported locally by our network of Diabetes Voices across the UK, and also often supported by our Diabetes UK groups.