Male suicides are at a record low but young more at risk

MALE suicide rates have fallen to the lowest level since records began as campaigners praise the ongoing efforts to reduce stigma around mental health.

A total of 5,821 suicides were registered last year in the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics, down from 5,965 in 2016.

Of these, 4,382 were male suicides, at a rate of 15.5 deaths per 100,000 men – the lowest since records were first collected in 1981.

The fall is driven by a reduction in suicides among men in their thirties and forties, with the rate among men in their early thirties falling from 19.1 to 17.7.

Elizabeth Scowcroft, research manager for Samaritans, said that the figures were encouraging.

“Collectively, there’s been huge effort towards men and we’re starting to see the effects of that in a really positive way,” she said.

“However, the figures also suggest there could be rising levels of suicide among young people of both genders. We need to do more research about why that is happening.”