Rates of suicide are on the rise

Figures have increased for men and women of all ages

SUICIDE rates have been increasing since 2016, hitting a 14 year high. In 2018, 5,465 people died from suicide - a rate of 10.6 for every 100,000 people in England and Wales.

The figures, which come from the Office for National Statistics, show the rate hasn’t been this high since 2004, when it stood at 10.7 selfinflicted deaths for every 100,000 people.

Within that, rates of suicide among men rose to 16.3 for every 100,000 males in 2018, while the rate for women rose to a rate of 5.1 for every 100,000 females.

In particular, the rate was highest among men aged 25-44, at 18.7 suicides for every 100,000 people.

However, men aged 75 and over saw the biggest increase in the latest year, with the rate rising from 13.9 suicides to 16.6 for every 100,000 people - the highest figure seen since 2004.

For women, those aged 45-64 saw the highest rate of suicide, at 6.5 for every 100,000 people - but it was those aged 25-44 who saw the biggest increase over the last year.

There were 5.8 suicides among this age group for every 100,000 people in 2018 - up from 4.9 the year before, and the highest rate seen since 2009.

Worryingly, the rate of suicide for boys and men aged 10 to 24 was also the highest seen since 2003, and while the rate for women in this age group had dropped in the last year, it was still the second-highest figure on record.

Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of the national charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide, said: “The latest figures show a continuing increase in the number of suicides and we remain concerned about young people who are struggling with life.

“We believe that by working together we can all help to raise greater awareness of the vital support which is available and engage with young people who are struggling to regain their self-esteem and self-worth.”

Jacqui Morrissey, Assistant Director of Research and Influencing at Samaritans, said: “This analysis has found suicide rates have been increasing since 2016, which is longer than we previously thought.

“Between 2016 and 2018, there have been significant increases in rates of male suicide seen in cities and towns.

“In 2018, men in the most deprived areas in England had a suicide rate 72% higher compared to men in least deprived areas.

“We know that there are systematic socioeconomic inequalities in male suicide risk and that suicide risk increases with deprivation.

“We also know that the key risk factors for this group, such as unemployment and unmanageable debt, are being exacerbated by the pandemic, so we need to ensure that there are targeted interventions in areas of greater deprivation to support this group as well as ensuring financial safety nets are in place.

“Suicide is not inevitable and action needs to be taken to ensure that difficult times do not result in people taking their own lives.

“It is more important than ever that support is prioritised now for groups who have an increased risk of suicide such as less well-off middleaged men and that suicide prevention is at the heart of the government’s covid recovery plan to save lives.”