Official Statistics

Statistical commentary: suicide prevention profile, May 2024 update

Updated 3 September 2024

Applies to England

What’s new

The age-standardised rate (ASR) for suicide by age and sex indicator has been added, showing data for England, regions, and upper tier local authorities (UTLAs) for 2012 to 2022. This indicator replaces the age and sex specific suicide crude rate indicators previously presented in the profile.

The years of life lost to suicide ASR indicator has been updated showing data for England, regions and UTLAs for 2011 to 2022.

Introduction

The aim of the suicide prevention profile is to help develop an understanding of suicide at a local level and to support an intelligence-driven approach to suicide prevention. It brings together data on suicide, related risk factors and related service contacts.

This report concentrates on the new ASR for suicide by age and sex. It considers the variation in suicide rates within the population by presenting counts and rates by age and sex at national and regional geographies. This is to help understand how suicide rate patterns differ and to allow local areas to know the variation in their population. Although age and sex figures are not presented for all regions in this report, noteworthy examples of increasing or decreasing rates are shown (all figures are available in the suicide prevention profile).

The analysis in this report covers a 10 year timeframe, from 2012 to 2022. There are 7 data points within this period. This is because each one is based on 5 years of data combined. Although this enables reporting at sub-national geographies, it does mean that smaller changes across single years may be more difficult to identify. Suicide rates are presented as age-standardised rates to account for the varying proportions of people of different ages in the population and therefore allow for comparisons between populations.

Main findings

All values in these headlines are given at England level unless otherwise stated. Values are given in the format of ‘value (95% lower confidence interval (CI), 95% upper CI) per 100,000 population’.

This update shows:

• the ASR for persons aged 10 to 24 years significantly increased from 4.4 (4.3, 4.6) to 5.5 (5.2, 5.7) per 100,000 population between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022 - an increase of 22.7%

• the highest ASR increase in males was in those aged 25 to 44 years, from 17.8 (17.4, 18.3) to 19.2 (18.7,19.6) per 100,000 population between 2014 to 2018 and 2018 to 2022

• the highest ASR increase in females was in those aged 25 to 44 years, from 4.9 (4.6, 5.1) to 5.8 (5.6, 6.1) per 100,000 population between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022

• females aged 65 years and older showed a steady decrease in ASR, from 4.2 (4.0, 4.5) to 4.0 (3.8, 4.2) per 100,000 population between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022

• persons aged 10 to 24 years in the South West region had the highest ASR of 7.2 (6.5, 8.0) per 100,000 population for the period 2018 to 2022

• all male age groups in the London region showed decreasing rates - the largest was in those aged 45 to 64 years from 17.9 (16.6, 19.1) to 15.1 (14.1, 16.2) per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022

• all female age groups in the Yorkshire and the Humber region showed increasing rates - females aged 25 to 44 years showed a significant increase from 5.0 (4.3, 5.8) to 7.9 (7.0, 8.9) per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022

Suicide rates by age and gender

It is known that the overall suicide rate significantly increased from 10.0 (9.8, 10.1) to 10.3 (10.2, 10.5) per 100,000 population between 2012 to 2014 and 2020 to 2022. However, it is unlikely that this change was consistent by demography and geography. There is value in considering the suicide rates, and change in those rates, within the population by sex, age and geographical regions.

The ASR for suicide by age and sex indicator presents rates for males, females and persons by national, regional and sub national geographies. Due to small numbers, the age group 10 to 24 years is presented for persons only.

Age-standardised rate for suicide for persons aged 10 to 24 years

In England, the number of registered suicides for persons aged 10 to 24 years increased from 2,261 to 2,688 between the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

Figure 1: age-standardised rate for suicide for persons aged 10 to 24 years per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, England

Source: Office for National Statistics (ONS) mortality statistics

Figure 1 shows the ASR for persons aged 10 to 24 years significantly increased from 4.4 (4.3, 4.6) to 5.5 (5.2, 5.7), between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, an increase of 22.7%.

Regional age-standardised rate for suicide for persons aged 10 to 24 years

Figure 2a: comparison of the age-standardised rate for suicide for persons aged 10 to 24 years per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, England and regions

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 2a shows for the period 2018 to 2022, the ASR for persons aged 10 to 24 years was highest in the South West region (7.2 (6.5, 8.0)) - this was significantly higher than England.

The rates were also high (and significantly higher than England) in Yorkshire and Humber (6.6 (5.6,7.8)) and the North East (6.7 (6.0, 7.5)).

The ASR for the London region (3.9 (3.5, 4.4)) was the lowest and significantly lower than England.

Figure 2b: percentage change in the age-standardised rate for suicide for persons aged 10 to 24 years, for 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, regions

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 2b shows the percentage change in the ASR for persons aged 10 to 24 years, for the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022. The regions which showed the highest change were:

• East of England (53.0%)

• Yorkshire and the Humber (49.1%)

• South West (47.0%)

The London region showed the lowest increase in the ASR (6.0%), and the North West region showed a decrease of 1.6%.

Age-standardised rate for suicide for males by age group

Figure 3: age-standardised rate for suicide for males by age group per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, England

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 3 shows the ASR for all male age groups had a small increase between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

Males aged 25 to 44 years had the largest increase in ASR (7.3%), from 17.8 (17.4, 18.3) to 19.2 (18.7,19.6) between 2014 to 2018 and 2018 to 2022 - this increase was significant.

The number of registered suicides for males aged 25 to 44 years increased from 6,624 to 6,985 between the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

During the period 2018 to 2022, the highest ASR was among males aged 45 to 64 years (20.4 (19.9, 20.9)), followed by males aged 25 to 44 years (19.2 (18.7, 18.6)).

Regional age-standardised rate for suicide for males by age group

To demonstrate geographical variation in the ASR by age and sex, figures 4a and 4b present variation across regions in England for males aged 25 to 44 years. Variation in other age groups in males can be viewed in the profile.

Figure 4a: comparison of the age-standardised rate for suicide for males aged 25 to 44 years per 100,000 population, for the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, England and regions

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 4a shows males aged 25 to 44 in the North East region had the highest rates for both 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

During the period 2018 to 2022, males aged 25 to 44 in the North East had a significantly higher ASR than England of 31.1 (28.4, 34.0). The ASRs for Yorkshire and Humber (23.6 (22.0, 25.3)), and North West (23.5 (22.1, 25.0)) were also high, and significantly higher than England.

The ASR for males aged 25 to 44 years was lowest in the London region (11.4 (10.6, 12.2)), this was significantly lower than England.

Figure 4b: percentage change in the age-standardised rate for suicide for males aged 25 to 44 years, for the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, regions

Figure 4b shows the South West region had the highest increase in ASR (19.7%) from 18.0 (16.6, 19.6) to 21.6 (20.0, 23.2) per 100,000 population.

The percentage increase in the North East was also notably higher than other regions, rising from 27.3 (24.7, 30.0) to 31.1 (28.4, 34.0), an increase of 14.1%.

The ASR decreased in the East of England (2.8%) and London (7.6%).

Figure 5a: age-standardised rate for suicide for males by age group per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, London

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 5a shows for all male age groups in the London region, the ASR decreased between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

Males aged 45 to 64 years showed the largest decrease (15.3%) from 17.9 (16.6, 19.1) to 15.1 (14.1, 16.2).

Males aged 65 years and older had a consistently higher ASR than those aged 25 to 44 years. This pattern is distinct to London - for all other regions the 65 years and older age group had the lowest rate.

Figure 5b: age-standardised rate for suicide for males by age group per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, Yorkshire and the Humber

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 5b shows all male age groups in the Yorkshire and the Humber region had an increase in the ASR between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

Males aged 65 years and older showed the largest increase (15.7%) from 11.7 (10.2, 13.3) to 13.5 (12.1, 15.1).  

Age-standardised rate for suicide for females by age group

Figure 6: age-standardised rate for suicide for females by age group per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, England

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 6 shows females aged 45 to 64 years in England showed relatively consistent ASRs between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

Females aged 25 to 44 years showed a significant increase in ASR from 4.9 (4.6, 5.1) to 5.8 (5.6, 6.1). The number of registered suicides for females aged 25 to 44 years increased from 1,775 to 2,236 between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

The ASR for females aged 65 years and older steadily decreased from 4.2 (4.0, 4.5) to 4.0 (3.8, 4.2) between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

During the period 2018 to 2022, females aged 45 to 64 years had the highest ASR (6.5 (6.2, 6.8)). This was followed by females aged 25 to 44 years (5.8 (5.6, 6.1)).

Regional age-standardised rate for suicide for females by age group

To demonstrate regional variation in the ASR by age and sex, figures 7a and 7b present variation across regions in England for females aged 25 to 44 years. Variation in other age groups in females can be viewed in the profile.

Figure 7a: comparison of the age-standardised rate for suicide for females aged 25 to 44 years per 100,000 population, for the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, England and regions

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 7a shows during the period 2018 to 2022, females aged 25 to 44 in the Yorkshire and the Humber region had the highest ASR (7.9 (7.0, 8.9)) - this was significantly higher than England.

The rates in the North East (7.4 (6.1, 8.8)) and North West (7.2 (6.4, 8.0)) were also high, and significantly higher than England.

The ASR for females aged 25 to 44 years was lowest in the London region (4.0 (3.6, 4.5)) - this was significantly lower than England.

Figure 7b: percentage change in the age-standardised rate for suicide for females aged 25 to 44 years for the periods 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, regions

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 7b shows for females aged 25 to 44 years in Yorkshire and the Humber, the ASR significantly increased from 5.0 (4.3, 5.8) to 7.9 (7.0, 8.9) between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, an increase of 58.0% - the largest change across all gender and age groups.

There was also a large increase in ASR in the West Midlands (44.7%) and East Midlands (38.3%).

The South West region showed a decrease in ASR of 4.4%.

Figure 8a: age-standardised rate for suicide for females by age group per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, London

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 8a shows the ASR in females aged 45 to 64 years and 65 years and older in the London region decreased between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022. Whereas females aged 25 to 44 years showed an increase in ASR from 3.5 (3.1, 4.0) to 4.0 (3.6, 4.5).

Females aged 65 years and older showed the largest decrease in ASR (26.7%), from 5.0 (4.2, 6.0) to 3.7 (3.0, 4.5).

Similar to males, females aged 65 years and over in London had a higher ASR than those aged 25 to 44 years for every data point other than the most recent. This pattern is unusual as generally 65 years and older show the lowest rate.

Figure 8b: age-standardised rate for suicide for females by age group per 100,000 population, between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, Yorkshire and the Humber

Source: ONS mortality statistics

Figure 8b shows all female age groups in the Yorkshire and the Humber region had an increase in ASR between 2012 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022.

Females aged 25 to 44 years showed the largest increase in ASR from 5.0 (4.3, 5.8) to 7.9 (7.0, 8.9).

Methodology

The rates produced in this report are based on combining data for 5 years. This has allowed meaningful data to be published for these indicators for sub-national geographies while minimising the need for suppression.

Background and further information

For more publicly available data and information relating to suicides in the UK see ‘Suicides in England and Wales Statistical bulletins’ produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

View the suicide prevention profile.

Responsible statistician:

• Senior Public Health Intelligence Analyst (Mental Health Intelligence Network, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID))

Product leads:

• Programme Lead (Mental Health Intelligence Network, OHID)

• Deputy Director (Clinical Epidemiology, OHID)

For queries relating to this publication, please contact: mhin@dhsc.gov.uk

Where to go for help

If you are having suicidal thoughts or struggling to cope, please call Samaritans free on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of the nearest branch.