Facts and figures about stroke

Each year over 130,000 people in England and Wales have a first stroke. About 10,000 of these are under retirement age

There are close to 60,000 deaths due to stroke each year

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in England and Wales, after heart disease and cancer

Stroke accounts for over 8 per cent of all deaths in men and 13 per cent of deaths in women in England

Stroke is the largest single cause of severe disability in England and Wales, with over 250,000 people being affected at any one time

The cost of stroke to the NHS is estimated to be over £2.3 billion

The total cost of stroke care will rise in real terms by around 30 per cent by the year 2023

Stroke patients occupy around 20 per cent of all acute hospital beds and 25 per cent of long term beds

Of every 16 stroke patients admitted to a general hospital, there will be one extra death compared with a coordinated Stroke Unit