The Scotland dashboard includes data on:
- National suicide rates across the UK
- Suicide rate for Scotland over time
- Local authority suicide rates
- National and local authority levels of wellbeing
- Prevalence of mental health disorders
- Levels of deprivation
We hope that this data will support national and regional suicide prevention leads to understand the baseline position for their area and develop targeted improvement plans to help prevent people dying by suicide.
Please note that the dashboards are not accessible on Internet Explorer so users are recommended to use an internet platform such as Chrome (all devices), Edge (all devices) or Safari (iPhone and iPads).
This dashboard includes key data relating to suicide, prevalence of mental illness and risk factors for Scotland. To better view the data and access further information included, click on the arrows at the bottom right of the boxes containing the charts and tables.
Our charts have been developed to include a drop down function, which can allow users to access data which has been recently released and data from previous years.
You can also hover over the chart and table data to see more information e.g. the value for the region, local authority, clinical commissioning group or time period and, where appropriate, our risk rating for the area based on the methodology developed in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation in 2020.
National suicide rates
2022-23
Suicide rates in Scotland
2003-23
Local authority suicide rates
2019-23
Local authority suicide rates for young persons
2018-22
National wellbeing scores
2023
Local authority wellbeing scores
2023
Local authority life satisfaction scores
2023
National prevalence of probable mental health disorders
2021
Local authority prevalence of probable mental health disorders
2018-22
Local authority deprivation
2020
14.8
Scotland has the highest suicide rate in the UK, with 14.8 suicides per 100,000.
24.1
Dundee City is the Local Authority with the highest suicide rate in Scotland, with 24.1 suicides per 100,000.
36.0 %
East Dunbartonshire has the highest rate of mental health prevalence at 36.0%.
Why is this data important for suicide prevention work?
Raising awareness of national suicide rates is important as enables you as leaders to understand the mental health crisis challenges your community faces. This data also forms a starting point for action and can be used to monitor the broader impacts of intervention work to prevent people dying by suicide.
Even though each community is different and will require overcoming different hurdles to help prevent suicide, comparisons to other countries within the UK encourages shared learning.
Other work we do helps facilitate this, including learning about examples of best practice and effective interventions in mental health care and suicide prevention work. You can also learn about community initiatives and how to introduce innovation at the system level to make positive and meaningful changes.
Even small changes can improve a person’s mental health and wellbeing and reduce their risk of suicide.
What can I do next?
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Explore our Suicide Prevention Resource Map - draw insights from our map of England to gain a more in-depth picture of the health, social and service related factors that may contribute to people dying by suicide in your community.
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Develop your understanding - read more of the evidence behind how these factors increase a person's risk of suicide, the impact of Covid-19 and examples of best practice.
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Find a resource and learn from others - visit our resource and case study libraries to find an innovative resource to help you take action and learn about how change can be achieved.
Case Study Library
Use the box links below to see details of case studies / good practice examples that may be of interest to you in your suicide prevention work.