Action for ME commissioned this “Cost to the nation report.” Compiled by Survey and Statistical Research Centre (SSRC) at Sheffield Hallam University. It showed that ME costs the UK around £3.5 billion pounds every year in terms of lost earnings, the cost of benefits, and the cost of health care – almost £15,000 for each person who has the illness. Population figures are based on the 2001 Census. Prevalence rates are based on the Chief Medical Officers Working Party Report 2002. AfME are using this as part of their 1% Campaign that will continue throughout this year, to ask this government to fund just 1% of this annual cost £35million to kick-start a comprehensive research programme. For more details see www.afme.org.uk

The figures produced by AfME show a cost of almost £150million in the North East region.
We have taken the population totals for the North East, and divided them into local areas and we show below the results. We are grateful to AfME for producing this important information. We will be using this data in our efforts to gain recognition and treatment for people with ME in the North East.

POPULATION STATISTICS (Sources National Office of statistics http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census 2001)