Statistics and causes of suicide in the UK (England and Wales figures only)
This article is missing information about statistics in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page. (May 2022)
Suicide rate per 100,000 population in the United Kingdom from 1990 to 2019
Suicide is a significant national social issue in the United Kingdom. In 2019 there were 5,691 registered deaths by suicide in England and Wales, equating to an average of 18 suicides per day.[2] Suicide is the single biggest killer of men under the age of 45 in the country.[3]
Governmental and other organisations have created different initiatives to attempt to prevent suicides in the country, including the establishment of a new post, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Mental Health, Inequalities and Suicide Prevention).[4]
Definition
The Office for National Statistics defines suicide as deaths from intentional self-harm (where a coroner has given a suicide conclusion or made it clear in the narrative conclusion that the deceased intended to end their own life) and events of undetermined intent (mainly deaths where a coroner has given an open conclusion) in people aged 15 and over, and also (since 2016) deaths from intentional self-harm in children aged 10 to 14. This definition will include more deaths than the definition used in other countries.
Dynamics
Researchers and sociologists have identified several causes for the high rate of suicide in the United Kingdom; these include recent recessions, unemployment, austerity measures and loneliness.[5] Research undertaken by Samaritans agree that socio-economic status tends to be the main cause, as it is for other groups. Relationship breakdown is another factor as they are often relying on a female partner for emotional support and are more likely to have access to their children restricted.[6] However, less attention has been paid to situational factors - the fact that opportunity is a decisive factor in many suicides. Major reductions in UK suicide resulted from the introduction of North Sea gas, replacing much more toxic coal gas, and by limiting the supply of over-the-counter painkillers like paracetamol and co-proxamol.[7]
The most common method used in England and Wales is hanging, accounting for 59.4% of male and 45% of female suicides.[2] Other suicides reported often include self-poisoning.[8] Suicide using firearms accounts for only a very small fraction, possibly due to tight gun control, meaning very few households in the UK possess them (4 per cent).[9] Hanging is the most common method used by women, closely followed by self poisoning.[10]
Inhalation of domestic gas was the most common method of suicide during the mid-twentieth century. It was completely eliminated by the 1990s as a result of the replacement of coal gas containing toxic carbon monoxide by the non-poisonous natural gas.[11][12][13] Later, suicide by inhalation of carbon monoxide from car exhausts became common, but has declined since the introduction of catalytic converters.[14]
Statistics
Age-standardised rates generally fell between 1981 and 2007, with rates in subsequent years increasing to reach a peak of 11.1 deaths per 100,000 in 2013, though this was still substantially less than the rates seen in the 1980s and 1990s.[10] The highest rate of suicide was recorded as 21.4 deaths per 100,000 population in 1988. Male suicides have consistently accounted for approximately three-quarters of all suicides in the UK since the mid-1990s.[10]
6,507 people died by suicide in 2018, significantly more than in 2017.[2] In January 2013, MPs expressed concern at a rise in the number of suicides over the preceding years.[15]
The suicide rate of 11.2 deaths per 100,000 population recorded by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in 2018 is an increase on the 10.1 per 100,000 population recorded in 2017, which was the lowest since the organisation began recording data on suicide in the United Kingdom in 1981. In 1981 the ONS recorded the UK suicide rate as 14.7 deaths per 100,000.[10]
Suicide rates within the United Kingdom per 100,000 people in 2020
In 2019, the 15% increase in the suicide rate in Scotland was described as "devastating,"[16] with men most at risk.[17]
By gender and age group, United Kingdom (1981–2017), rate per 100,000 people (standardised to the European Standard Population)
Males aged
Females aged
Year
10–29
30–44
45–59
60–74
75+
10–29
30–44
45–59
60–74
75+
1981
9.8
19.5
23.1
22.0
28.6
3
8.5
15
16.2
13.6
1982
9.1
19.0
23.6
22.0
28.1
3.2
8.4
13.9
15.4
14.2
1983
9.0
19.7
22.5
22.5
28.6
2.9
8
12.8
14.8
13.4
1984
9.5
20.4
23.0
21.3
27.9
2.7
7.7
13.1
14.4
13.5
1985
10.8
21.6
23.2
22.6
29.1
2.7
7.5
13.7
15.9
13.5
1986
11.5
20.9
22.5
23.5
31.3
3.2
7
11.3
13.8
13.3
1987
12.3
21.0
21.1
21.5
27.7
3.6
7
10.5
11.8
10.8
1988
14.5
24.0
21.2
21.8
33.8
3.5
7.7
10.2
11.2
12.5
1989
13.8
21.4
21.1
16.9
26.8
3.7
6.4
9
9.3
10.6
1990
15.8
23.0
21.9
18.0
25.4
3.3
6.8
8.2
9.5
9.5
1991
15.1
25.0
21.5
15.6
24.0
3.4
6.4
8.4
8.1
9
1992
15.5
24.3
21.6
17.2
22.7
3.8
6.2
8.1
8.4
8.3
1993
15.9
23.3
21.4
15.2
21.2
3.6
6.6
7.5
7
9.5
1994
15.8
23.0
18.6
15.4
24.2
3.4
6.4
6.7
7.1
9.3
1995
15.3
24.8
19.5
14.2
21.2
3.3
6.5
7
6.3
8.3
1996
14.2
23.7
18.6
14.2
21.3
3.7
6.4
6.8
5.8
7.5
1997
15.1
22.1
18.6
13.0
20.0
3.5
6.5
7.2
6.3
6
1998
16.8
26.0
20.1
13.6
17.8
3.9
6.8
6.7
6.5
6.9
1999
14.9
25.7
19.9
15.1
20.6
3.6
6.7
6.4
6
7
2000
14.9
24.4
19.3
13.6
18.7
3.9
6.4
7.5
5.6
6.5
2001
13.0
23.4
20.4
13.5
18.1
3
6.7
6.7
5.7
6.2
2002
12.4
24.2
19.1
13.0
14.2
3.7
6.1
6.6
5.4
6.8
2003
11.3
23.8
18.2
13.1
16.8
3
6.5
7.1
4.9
6.4
2004
10.6
23.7
19.1
12.7
18.2
3.1
6.6
7.5
5.9
7
2005
9.8
23.0
18.9
13.1
16.3
3.1
6.2
7.7
4.9
5.5
2006
9.6
22.7
19.6
13.1
14.9
2.8
5.2
7.5
5
4.7
2007
9.8
22.3
18.3
12.0
15.4
2.2
5.4
6.8
5.1
4.4
2008
10.7
23.4
19.3
12.8
14.3
2.8
6.1
7.1
4.4
4.5
2009
10.5
22.4
20.6
11.6
13.9
3
5.9
6.5
4.6
4.8
2010
9.4
21.3
20.7
12.4
15.0
3
5.8
6.8
4.7
4.3
2011
10.4
23.5
22.1
12.7
13.8
3.3
6.4
7.3
4.6
4.8
2012
10.6
23.0
23.0
12.3
13.2
2.7
5.7
7.4
4.2
4.4
2013
9.8
23.4
25.1
14.5
15.4
2.3
6.3
7
3.9
4.7
2014
9.9
21.3
23.9
13.6
14.4
3.2
6.1
7.3
4.6
4.6
2015
10.6
21.0
22.3
13.8
14.8
3.2
6
7.6
5.4
4.8
2016
10.5
20.7
21.8
12.3
13.4
3.4
5.5
7.3
4.6
3.5
2017
9.9
19.7
21.8
12.0
12.1
3.2
5.8
6.3
4.6
4.5
Source: Office for National Statistics, National Records of Scotland, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency[10]
Suicide rate in England and Wales per 100,000 population
Suicides as a percentage of total deaths in the United Kingdom
Suicide rate per 100,000 people
Proportion of suicides by method in England and Wales
Suicide rate of males by age group in England and Wales
Suicide rate of females of different age groups in England and Wales
Suicide prevention
Sign promoting Samaritans near a payphone in the United Kingdom
Within the UK there are various organisations providing free mental health support.
The National Health Service (NHS) is the main provider of a range of mental health services, including 24/7 mental health crisis lines.
There are also prominent charities providing support via free helplines including Samaritans and Inner Allies (previously named Mind Allies).
The government of the United Kingdom and a number of international and national organizations have undertaken a variety of efforts and initiatives to prevent suicides. There are different associations that provide help and suggestions to suicidal people. Some notable organisations include Grassroots Suicide Prevention (who developed the first UK suicide prevention app - Stay Alive), Papyrus (a suicide prevention group founded in 1997 by Jean Kerr – who lost her son to suicide),[19] Maytree (a sanctuary for the suicidal), and U can cope.[20]
In 2012, the United Kingdom government decided to spend £1.5 million to develop planning and strategies on preventing suicides.[21] In January 2013, the social networking site Facebook started a partnership with suicide-prevention organisation "Save.org" to provide data that will be used to identify warning signs of people at risk of suicide. The service became live in the UK in 2016.[22]
On 10 October 2018, the Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced the UK's first Minister for Suicide Prevention.[23]
Terminology
There have been calls in the UK to change the language used around the topic of suicide, particularly the use of the phrase "commit suicide". The phrase is seen by some as suggesting suicide is a criminal act, thereby enforcing a notion of legal wrongdoing in the same way as "committing rape" or "committing murder".
The mainstream UK media currently observes the practice of avoiding the phrase "commit suicide" in line with the media reporting guidelines published by suicide prevention charity Samaritans, who refer to it as "inappropriate language".[24]
