Suicide incidence

Welcome to the ZSA Facts for Action series

This page provides key information to explain the suicide incidence in the UK and will help build your understanding so that meaningful changes can be made to reduce the incidence of suicide.

Contents:

• Introduction to suicide and how you can help

• Risk factors of suicide

• UK suicide rates - trends over time, by age and gender

  • England and Wales suicide rates

  • Scotland suicide rates

  • Northern Ireland suicide rates

• Impact of Covid-19

• Real-time suicide surveillance and bereavement support

• Insights from the ZSA Suicide Prevention Resource Map

• References 

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Introduction to suicide and how you can help

More than 700,000 people worldwide die by suicide every year.

World Health Organisation (2021)[1]

Suicide is a tragic consequence of a person experiencing severe psychological distress and feeling an overwhelming sense of hopelessness. These experiences of a mental health crisis are different for each person. A person may experience a sudden traumatic event such as the loss of a loved one, or may have on-going struggles with their mental health as a result of other health and social challenges. 

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH), an international project run by the University of Manchester, examined in-depth information on all suicides in the UK since 1996. This research found that 73% of people who died by suicide between 2010 and 2020 in the UK were by people who were not in contact with mental health services (University of Manchester, 2022)[2]

3 out of 4 of people who die by suicide are not in contact with mental health services.

By raising awareness of suicide incidence across the UK, we can learn more about who may be more at risk of taking their own lives and as a result, break down the stigma surrounding suicide and be more equipped to support our friends, family and the wider community. 

All suicide prevention work being done across the UK is contributing to achieving a key target of the international community by reducing suicide incidence by 15% across all World Health Organisation nations by 2023 (World Health Organisation, 2019[3]). These targets are vital to drive action and achieve real change in preventing suicide.

Help do your part by taking our training and find out about other ways to get involved.

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Risk factors of suicide

Reasons why a person takes their own life are complex, but we understand that suicide is often the result of a combination of health and social factors, including access to mental health services for support and treatment.

By learning about some of these factors we can become more informed about the challenges that these individuals may face, helping us be in a better position to support someone struggling with their mental health and improve the wider health and social care environment within communities.

Reasons for suicide are complex. But by increasing awareness of some of the health and social factors that contribute to suicide, we are more informed of who might need support with their mental health.

Some risk factors of suicide are:

• Previous suicide attempt
• Mental health conditions (such as depression)
• Traumatic experiences in childhood or adulthood (such as abuse, violence)
• Substance misuse (such as drugs or alcohol)
• Social isolation
• Job or financial issues
• Relationship problems
• Serious illness and chronic pain
• Barriers to support or care and stigma

Risk factors do not predict risk of suicide at a single point in time, but instead indicate increased risk of a whole population over it's lifetime (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2020).[4]

A person may still be at risk of suicide even though they are not in a high risk group. People from high risk groups are also not all equally at risk of dying by suicide.

To understand more about the risk factors of suicide including populations that are more at risk, visit our Facts for Action series for adults and children and young people.

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UK suicide rates

Suicide rates recorded for the UK since 1981 demonstrate a slow and steady decline since 2000, meaning fewer people are dying by suicide. However, it is still important to understand variations across time, highlighting specific at-risk groups.

Suicide rates in the UK are generally decreasing, but understanding variations across time and demographic group is key to help prevent people from dying by suicide.

Over the last few years more than 6,000 people in the UK have died by suicide each year. In 2021 there were 5,219 suicides in England, 347 in Wales, 753 in Scotland, and 237 in Northern Ireland. Suicide numbers have increased in 2021 in all nations except Scotland, where the number has decreased (see Table 1). 

More than 6000 people in the UK die by suicide each year. 

	UK		England			Wales			Scotland			Northern Ireland
Year suicides were registered*	2018[5]	2017[6]	2021[7]	2020[8]	2019[9]	2021 [7]	2020[8]	2019[9]	2021[10]	2020[11]	2019[11]	2021 [12]	2020[12a]***	2019[13]
Number of registered suicides	6,507	5,821	5,219	4,912	5,316	347	285	330	753 (probable)	805 (probable)	833 (probable)	237	219	205
Age-standardised suicide rate (deaths per 100,000 persons)**	11.2	10.1	10.5	10.0	10.8	12.7	10.3	12.2	13.7	14.8	15.2	14.3	13.3	12.4

*Year of reporting may vary across UK nations and may not be directly comparable in single year, and due to delays in coroner verdicts around half of deaths in a given year will have occurred in the previous year or earlier. **Age-standardised suicide rates are helpful to report as enables us to make comparisons across regions with different sized populations and age groups of varying suicide distribution. ***Provisional figures potentially subject to change.

Source: Suicide rates are reported by the Office for National Statistics for England and Wales, National Records of Scotland, Scottish Public Health Observatory and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. To find out details of how suicides are reported, please visit individual sources as referenced in Table 1.

Each UK nation has recorded more deaths in 2021 compared to 2020, with the exception of Scotland which has decreased.

Trends over time

Suicide rates in the UK increased by 11.8% in 2018 compared to 2017. During this period there was a change in UK legislation in July 2018 whereby the burden of proof required by the coroner changed from the criminal standard of "beyond all reasonable doubt" to the civil standard of "on the balance of probabilities" (legislation.gov.uk, 2017[14])

The Office for National Statistics report that it is not possible to determine whether this increase is because of this change in law; the upward trend for deaths by suicide was seen in England and Wales before and after the change was put in place. Therefore it is unlikely that the recent legal changes is the only influencing factor in recent increases in suicide rate (Office for National Statistics, 2020[15]).

This data will influence overall data for the UK as the population of England alone constitutes 84% of that of the UK (56.3 million out of a total UK population of 66.9 million) (Office for National Statistics, 2021[16]).

Figure 1 - Age-standardised suicide rates registered for UK persons, males and females between 1981 and 2018. Source: Office for National Statistics (2019)

A positive outcome of this change was a shift in attention from blame and criminal culpability, to a neutral fact finding exercise (Geldart and Yardley, 1984[17]). This reflects our modern day society views of suicide and has shaped our language for how we talk about suicide. For example, saying a person 'committed suicide' to 'died by suicide'.

Age

In the latest report for overall UK suicide statistics (for deaths registered in 2018), both men and women aged 45 to 49 years old were found to be most at risk of dying by suicide in 2018. Men had a suicide rate of 27.1 deaths per 100,000, and for women it was 9.2 deaths per 100,000.

In the UK, both men and women aged 45 to 49 were at the highest risk of dying by suicide in 2018.

Suicide rates for people under 25 have generally increased prior to 2018. The suicide rate females aged 10 to 24 has significantly increase since 2012 to its highest level of 3.3 deaths per 100,000. 

Despite low numbers of suicides overall, deaths in the under 25s have increased in the years before 2018, particularly for females aged 10 to 24.

Gender

Men account for the majority of deaths by suicide worldwide (World Health Organisation, 2018[18]). This is similar to the UK whereby men are three to four times more likely to die by suicide than women, a consistent trend since 1995 (Office for National Statistics, 2019 [5]).

The reduction in suicide rates in the UK for men this shift started from 2001, and for women it started in 1993 (see Figure 1).

3 out of 4 suicides are by men.

For more information, read the ONS report on suicides in the UK for 2018. 

As the latest publication has not yet been released (latest UK report is for 2018, published 2019), it is worth examining statistical releases from individual agencies. When the latest ONS report is released, insights will be reported here.

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England and Wales suicide rates

The suicide rates in England and Wales increased in 2021 in comparison to 2020. The suicide rate in 2021 was 10.7 deaths per 100,000, and in 2020 it was 10 deaths per 100,000. This is likely to be due to a lower number of suicides registered suicides registered in 2020 because of the disruption to the coroners inquests (Office for National Statistics, 2021 [7]).

England and Wales suicide rates are reported together by the Office for National Statistics, further breakdown will be offered in the awaited latest UK report.

Gender

The suicide rate for men in 2021 was 16.0 deaths per 100,000, which is significantly higher than in 2021 (15.4 deaths per 100,000). For women it was 5.5 per 100,000, which is an increase from previous years (see Figure 2).

More people died by suicide in England and Wales in 2021 compared to 2020, largely driven by delays in death registrations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Looking over a longer period of time, suicide rates for both men and women have generally decreased since 1981 till 2017. Rates for men have fluctuated since 2007, with a significant increase in 2018 (see Figure 2). Rates for women also increased slightly in 2018, but have remained relatively stable since 2007. Change in UK law for the registration of suicides in 2018 may explain this increase. Read more above in UK suicide rates - trends over time. Rates in 2020 dropped for both male and female, but has risen again in 2021.

Figure 2 - Age-standardised suicide rates by sex in England and Wales, registered between 1981 and 2021

Source: Office for National Statistics (2022)

Age

Women aged 45 to 49 years old had the highest suicide rate in 2021 compared to other age groups (7.8 per 100,000 died by suicide) [7]. In comparison, men aged 50 to 54 years had the highest suicide rate (22.7 per 100,000).

Suicides in 2021 were most likely to be by women aged 45 to 49 and men aged 50 to 54.

Looking at broad age groups, men aged 45 to 64 years old have had the highest suicide rate since around 2010 (20 deaths per 100,000 persons). Men aged 10 to 24 years old have had the lowest rates since 1981 (7 deaths per 100,000 in 2020).

For more information, read the ONS report on suicides in England and Wales for 2021

To find out about regional differences in suicide rate in England and Wales, and some of the factors that may contribute to suicide, visit our data dashboards for England and Wales.

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Scotland suicide rates

The suicide rate in Scotland slightly decreased in 2021 compared to 2020. The suicide rate in 2020 was 14.8 deaths per 100,000 (805 suicides), and in 2021 it was 13.7 per 100,000 (753 suicides). Suicide rate in the most deprived areas of Scotland is 3 times the rate in the least deprived areas (National Records of Scotland, 2022).[10]

Fewer people died by suicide in Scotland in 2021 compared to 2020, with a 6% decrease.

Suicide rate was 3 times higher in the most deprived areas of Scotland.

Gender

The suicide rate for men in 2021 was 21 deaths per 100,000, which is lower than in 2019. For women it was 7 per 100,000, an decrease compared to 2019 (see Figure 3). Most of the decrease in the past year can be attributed to a fall in female suicides, which decreased by 42 (18%).

Suicide rates decreased in females by 18% in 2021.

Looking over a longer period of time, suicide rates for men increased from 1994 to 2000, but have since reduced despite fluctuation over the last two decades. Suicide rates for women have increased since 2017 but have remained relatively consistent since 1994 (see Figure 3). In 2021, the rate of suicide for females and males have decreased.

Figure 3 - Age-standardised suicide rates by sex between 1994 and 2021

Source: National Records of Scotland (2021)

Age

One in five suicides in 2021 were by someone under the age of 30, consistent with previous years. Suicides were highest for men and women aged 45 to 49.

Both men and females aged 45 to 49 were most likely to die by suicide in 2021

Source: National Records of Scotland (2021). For more information, read the National Records of Scotland report on probable suicides for 2020.

To find out about regional differences in suicide rate in Scotland, and some of the factors that may contribute to suicide, visit our data dashboard for Scotland.

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Northern Ireland suicide rates

The suicide rate in Northern Ireland increased by 8.2% in 2021 compared to 2020. The suicide rate in 2020 was 12.4 deaths per 100,000 (205 suicides) [12a]  and in 2021 it was 14.3 per 100,000 (237 suicides) [12]. 2020 data is provisional and therefore potentially subject to change (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, 2021). See figure 4 to see the trend of suicide deaths in Northern Ireland.

Suicides in Northern Ireland have increased by 8.2% in 2021 compared to 2020.

Figure 4 - Number of suicide deaths in Northern Ireland, 2001 to 2021.

Source -  Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (2022)

Suicide data (2015 to 2018) reported some of the highest suicide rates and in 2019, NISRA conducted a review to investigate an anomaly in the data. The way in which deaths are coded also changed in 2015 which has led to a decrease in the number of deaths being recorded as suicides suicide for 2019. Full details of the issues prompting the review and the impact of the revisions on the previously published time series are available in the May 2022 report [12].

This data is combines deaths by suicide and self-inflicted injury. The NISRA recommend to report the self-inflicted injury category for suicide statistics and so these statistics should be interpreted with caution.

Age

In 2021, data on suicides show that there were more deaths by men in Northern Ireland aged 25 to 29 and 45 to 49, compared to other ages. For women in Northern Ireland, age groups with the most deaths were 20 to 24. [12]

This data is combines deaths by suicide and self-inflicted injury. The NISRA recommend to report the self-inflicted injury category for suicide statistics and so these statistics should be interpreted with caution.

In 2021, one in every three suicide deaths was someone under the age of 30.

Gender 

Suicides in Northern Ireland have increased over time for both men and women between 2000 and 2014 (see Figure 5). 176 (74.3 per cent) of the total suicide deaths in 2021 were males and 61 (25.7 per cent) were females. In every year since 2001, more than 70 per cent of suicide deaths have been male.

Similarly to the rest of the UK, men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women, even though women are more likely to attempt and self-harm. This figure is higher in the Republic of Ireland whereby men are four times more likely to die by suicide (Northern Ireland Assembly, 2021[19]).

Figure 5 - Age-standardised Suicide Rate by Sex, Northern Ireland, 2001 to 2021.

Source – Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (2022). 

Men as an at-risk group are found to have higher rates of alcohol and drug use, reluctance to discuss mental health due to the associated stigma, access to more lethal methods of suicide and are more impulsive. men who are gay, transgender, from the travelling community, from ethnic minorities, farmers, victims of domestic abusive, unemployed, rurally isolated and who are divorced or separated. [19]

To find out about regional differences in suicide rate in Northern Ireland, and some more of the factors that may contribute to suicide, visit our data dashboard for Northern Ireland.

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Impact of Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a detrimental impact on people’s psychological wellbeing, compounding issues already faced by specific demographic groups (ONS, 2020[20]; Institute for Social and Economic Research, 2020[21]). This has resulted in reports of increased self-harm, suicidal ideation and substance misuse, with these being key risk factors of suicide (Centre for Mental Health, 2020[22]).

Research has found that the impact on mental health during the pandemic has not yet resulted in an increase in people dying by suicide (NCISH, 2020[23]). However, variation between communities may be masked and it may also be too early to measure the longer term impacts on mental health, and suicide as a consequence. 

Early research finds that the Covid-19 pandemic worsened people's mental health, but has not yet impacted suicide rates - the next couple of years will tell us more.

Previous research investigating the impact of the 2008 financial recession in the UK found that suicides peaked in 2010, especially in regions in with the biggest increase in unemployment (Barr et al., 2012[24]). Other research on the 2008 recession in the US revealed a more delayed peak in suicide rates in 2012 (Reeves et al., 2012 [25]). These studies demonstrate there may be a delayed impact on suicide rates linked to on-going economic factors.

To find out more about the impact of Covid-19, visit our Facts for Action series. 

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Real-time suicide surveillance and bereavement support

The NHS Mental Health Implementation Plan sets out an ambition that the current suicide prevention programme will cover every local area in England and that all systems will have suicide bereavement support services providing timely and appropriate support to families and staff in place by 2023/2024.

Having accurate and reliable real time data on suspected suicides is a fundamental requirement to support both of these aims and requires close partnerships across multiple agencies. This approach is commonly described as “real time surveillance” or “real time data”[26].

Ling et al. undertook a review of current practice in relation to real-time surveillance and made recommendations for future development [27]. The report summarised a number of case studies and sought to answer two questions:

• Can a police and/or coroner led real time suicide surveillance system lead to earlier, more effective monitoring for people bereaved by suicide?
• What action is required to implement such a system across the UK effectively?

The review found that access to the data from real time surveillance systems supported the areas reviewed in developing more targeted strategies in a more timely way. The key recommendations were as follows:

• Timely data (such as collected by police and with involvement from other agencies)
• Effective co-ordination across the agencies involved to support the building of relationships
• Postvention support services need to be in place
• Data sharing agreements need to be in place.

Here are two examples of digital resources that enable and support local and national efforts for real time surveillance:

• QES Suicide Survelliance
• Stigma Statistics 

Resources like these offer the opportunity for local systems to gain intelligence on people dying by suicide, providing timely insights in comparison to awaiting coroner verdicts. This includes information on sociodemographic factors, clinical profiles and service involvement of those that have taken their lives. This approach informs immediate suicide prevention planning and provision of bereavement support for those impact by suicide. 

Find out more about the application of these resources in our case studies section.

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Insights from the ZSA Suicide Prevention Resource Map

• Suicide rate per 100,000 population (persons)
• Male suicide rate per 100,000 population
• Female suicide rate per 100,000 population

Please note that the data in the Suicide Prevention Resource Map is currently being updated and may not yet reflect the latest data available.