FUNDAMENTAL FACTS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH 2016

1.3 Suicide and self-harm
Suicide and self-harm are not mental
health problems themselves, but they are
linked with mental distress. Self-harm
is not necessarily linked with suicide,
but can increase the risk of suicide. In
contrast to statistics on the prevalence
of mental health problems, suicide
statistics are collected systematically
across the UK through coroners’ reports.
We therefore have a much clearer
picture of the number of people who
die by suicide than of those affected by
mental health problems.
• According to the Office for National
Statistics (ONS), in 2014, a total
of 6,122 suicides were recorded
in the UK for people aged 10 and
older (10.8 deaths per 100,000
population). This equates to
approximately one death every two
hours – a 2% decrease from 2013. Of
these, 75.6% were male and 24.4%
were female. 66
• People with a diagnosed mental
health condition have been shown
to be at a higher risk of attempting
and completing suicide, 67 with more
than 90% of suicides and suicide
attempts having been found to
be associated with a psychiatric
disorder. 68
• The National Confidential Inquiry
into Suicide and Homicide by People
with Mental Illness (2015) found
that, from 2003–13, there were
18,220 suicides by people who had
had mental health service contact
over the past year in the UK. 69 •
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As the previous figures indicate,
suicide rates have consistently
been lower for women than for
men. Between 2007 and 2013,
the suicide rate for women in the
UK stayed constant, while the rate
for men increased significantly.
(However, between 2013 and 2014,
the suicide rate for women increased
in England and Scotland.) 70
In 2014, suicide was the leading
cause of death for men under 50
years of age in England and Wales,
and for women aged 20–34. 71 The
demographic with the highest
suicide rate (of 23.9 per 100,000
population) was men aged 45–59. 72
Recent statistics show that 72% of
people who died by suicide between
2002 and 2012 had not been in
contact with their GP or a health
professional about these feelings in
the year before their suicide. 73
In England, more than 4,882 suicides
(among people aged 10 and over)
were registered in 2014 – a 3%
increase from the previous year.
Although males account for nearly
three quarters of this figure, the
overall increase was driven by a 14%
rise in suicide among females. 74
There is significant regional variation
in suicide rates across England;
the highest rate was 13.2 deaths by
suicide per 100,000 population
in North East England, while the
lowest was 7.8 deaths per 100,000
population in London. 75
In Northern Ireland, a total of 268
suicides were registered in 2014.
Males accounted for over 75% of
this figure (207 deaths). 76
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