Up to 100,000 may have undiagnosed forms of dementia in England

Kerry and Charles Hine, pictured in 2013. It took three years for Charles to be diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies. He died four years later. Photograph: Teri Pengilley/The Guardian

Up to 100,000 people in England may be living with undiagnosed forms of dementia that present with symptoms such as depression and hallucinations, according to government figures.

Dementia is an umbrella term for many different conditions, affecting more than 55 million people worldwide. In England, about 7,000 people are diagnosed every month. While the health service has made progress in headline diagnosis rates, latest figures show that underdiagnosis of specific dementias remain a problem.