The Office for National Statistics has published new data on the number of suicides registered in 2021. The data reveals that the suicide rate has remained largely consistent with pre-pandemic levels. 

Lourdes Colclough, Head of Suicide Prevention at Rethink Mental Illness, said:

“We must remember that statistics can never truly reflect the mental anguish that someone feels before taking their own life, or the earth-shattering devastation that bereaved family and friends experience. But today’s data does show that despite ongoing improvements in mental health awareness, we are not seeing a reduction in suicide rates. The increase in the suicide rate for young women is particularly worrying, and we need to understand more about how we can address the risk factors for this group. The continued high suicide rate among men also remains a cause for concern. Suicide is a complex issue, but we must recognise the role we all have to play in suicide prevention, including government, and crucially the need to tackle many of the risk factors for suicide such as debt, financial stress and housing instability, which are affecting more people as the cost of living crisis deepens.”