In England and Wales, the definition of suicide is a death with an underlying cause of intentional self-harm or an injury or poisoning with undetermined intent. In 2023, the suicide rate in England and Wales was 11.4 deaths per 100,000 population, an increase from the previous year. Vulnerable groupsThe suicide rate among men in England and Wales in 2023 was over three times higher than for women, the figures being 17.4 per 100,000 population for men compared to 5.7 for women. Additionally, the age group with the highest rate of suicide was for those aged 50 to 54 years, at 16 deaths per 100,000. Mental health in the UKOver 54 thousand people in England were detained under the Mental Health Act in the period 2020/21. Alongside this, there has been an increase in the number of workers in Great Britain suffering from stress, depression or anxiety. Resulting in 875 thousand workers reporting to be suffering from these work-related issues in 2022/23.

In 2023, the rate of suicides among both men and women in England was at their highest recorded rates. The rate of among males was 17.4 per 100,000 population and among females it was 5.7 per 100,000. Recent years have seen an increase again for both genders, however, the rate of suicide for men has remained significantly higher than for women. Individuals seeking help for mental health issuesIn Great Britain, almost 70 percent have never visited a mental health professional, while eighteen percent consult with one at least once a year. Additionally, almost 60 percent of those with a psychiatric condition do not take any medication to control their condition. Mental health of young peopleThe COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact of the mental health of many people, particularly young people. The share of all adults reporting to having experienced symptoms of depression doubled during the pandemic compared to before. Although for those in the age group 16 to 39 years, depression prevalence tripled. Among young people that had mental health concerns prior to the pandemic, a significant majority of those surveyed reported that their life had become worse due to the impact of the pandemic and subsequent restrictions.

Annual update of suicide deaths information (numbers and rates by sex), analysed at Scotland, NHS board and LA level and by deprivation decile at Scotland level. Source agency: ISD Scotland (part of NHS National Services Scotland) Designation: Official Statistics not designated as National Statistics Language: English Alternative title: Suicide Statistics

United Kingdom UK: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data was reported at 13.500 NA in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 13.100 NA for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data is updated yearly, averaging 13.100 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.700 NA in 2000 and a record low of 11.900 NA in 2010. United Kingdom UK: Suicide Mortality Rate: Male data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

United Kingdom UK: Suicide Mortality Rate: Female data was reported at 4.400 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 4.500 NA for 2015. United Kingdom UK: Suicide Mortality Rate: Female data is updated yearly, averaging 4.500 NA from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 5 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.800 NA in 2000 and a record low of 3.900 NA in 2010. United Kingdom UK: Suicide Mortality Rate: Female data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United Kingdom – Table UK.World Bank.WDI: Health Statistics. Suicide mortality rate is the number of suicide deaths in a year per 100,000 population. Crude suicide rate (not age-adjusted).; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

This data shows deaths (of people age 10 and over) from Suicide and Undetermined Injury, numbers and rates by gender, as 3-year moving-averages. Suicide is a significant cause of premature deaths occurring generally at younger ages than other common causes of premature mortality. It may also be seen as an indicator of underlying rates of mental ill-health. Directly Age-Standardised Rates (DASR) are shown in the data, where numbers are sufficient, so that death rates can be directly compared between areas. The DASR calculation applies Age-specific rates to a Standard (European) population to cancel out possible effects on crude rates due to different age structures among populations, thus enabling direct comparisons of rates. The figures in this dataset include deaths recorded as suicide (people age 10 and over) and undetermined injury (age 15 and over) as those are mostly likely also to have been caused by self-harm rather than unverifiable accident, neglect or abuse. The population denominators for rates are age 10 and over. Low numbers may result in zero values or missing data. Data source: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) indicator 41001 (E10). This data is updated annually.

Legacy unique identifier: P00542

Mortality from intentional self-harm and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted (ICD-10 X60-X84, Y10-Y34 equivalent to ICD-9 E950-E959 and E980-E989 exc E988.8). To reduce the number of suicides. Legacy unique identifier: P00548

Table of directly (DSR) age-standardised rates of suicides per 100,000 population, and Indirectly (SMR) (Includes undetermined Injuries), all ages and age 15 plus, three year (pooled) average and annual, by sex. Deaths from intentional self-harm and injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted (ICD-10 X60-X84, Y10-Y34 exc Y33.9, ICD-9 E950-E959 and E980-E989 exc E988.8), registered in the respective calendar year(s). DSR stands for Directly age-Standardised Rates. Mortality rates are age standardised using the European Standard Population as defined by the World Health Organisation. 3 year average rates are calculated as the average of single year rates for 3 successive years. Standardised Mortality Ratio (SMR), England = 100. The annual rates at borough level are likely to be subject to relatively high levels of variability of numbers of suicides from year to year because of the relatively small numebrs of suicides that occur within boroughs. When comparing boroughs against each other, the three-year combined rate would provide a higher level of confidence. NHS mental health information can be found here. Various other suicide indicators are available from IC NHS website, including years of life lost, crude death rates, and indirectly standardised ratios (SMR). Follow: Compendium of population health indicators > Illness and Condition > Mental health and behavioural disorders

The number of railway fatalities caused by suicides or suspected suicides in Great Britain increased from *** fatalities in 2017/18, to *** fatalities in 2019/20. Fatalities fell from this peak during the 2017 to 2023 period, to *** fatalities in 2022/23.

Annual number of deaths registered related to drug poisoning in England and Wales by sex, region and whether selected substances were mentioned anywhere on the death certificate, with or without other drugs or alcohol, and involvement in suicides.

The suicide rate among females in the United States is highest for those aged 45 to 64 years and lowest among girls aged 10 to 14 and elderly women 75 and over. Although the suicide rate among women remains over three times lower than that of men, rates of suicide among women have gradually increased over the past couple decades. Suicide among women in the United States In 2021, there were around six suicide deaths per 100,000 women in the United States. In comparison, the rate of suicide among women in the year 2000 was about four per 100,000. Suicide rates among women are by far the highest among American Indians or Alaska Natives and lowest among Hispanic and Black or African American women. Although firearms are involved in the highest share of suicide deaths among both men and women, they account for a much smaller share among women. In 2020, the firearm suicide rate among women was 1.8 per 100,000 population, while the rates of suicide for suffocation and poisoning were 1.7 and 1.5 per 100,000, respectively. Suicidal ideation among women Although not everyone who experiences suicidal ideation, or suicidal thoughts, will attempt suicide, suicidal thoughts are a risk factor for suicide. In 2022, just over five percent of women in the United States reported having serious thoughts of suicide in the past year. Suicidal thoughts are more common among women than men even though men have much higher rates of death from suicide than women. This is because men are more likely to use more lethal methods of suicide such as firearms. Women who suffer from substance use disorder are significantly more likely to have serious thoughts of suicide than women without substance use disorder.

This is qualitative data from a focus group conducted in September 2020 within a study that examined how the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (seek to) effect change in prisons following prisoner suicides and how death investigations could have more impact on prison policy and practice. The study ran from 2019-2021.

Within this project, a focus group was conducted with former prisoners in England and Wales (n=5):

Across jurisdictions, prisoner suicide rates consistently exceed those amongst comparable groups in the general population (Zhong et al., 2021). Deaths in coercive institutions threaten the right to life, which is ‘the most fundamental of all human rights [and a] condition of the enjoyment of other rights’ (Owen and Macdonald, 2015: 121). The high rates of suicide and self-harm in prison are of international concern (Dear, 2006). Prison suicide reduction has been designated a priority activity by the World Health Organisation (2007) and England and Wales’ Ministry of Justice (2016). generating very significant harm and costs (Roulston et al., 2021; Author, 2021). Peer support is part of the (international) response to suicidal prisoners, but too little is known about the experience of these interventions.

For data storage and analysis purposes the transcript has been carefully anonymised with any potentially identifiable details removed. Within the transcript the 5 former prisoners have deliberately not been differentiated between to protect their identity. Because of the sensitivity of this research, transcripts of follow up support and analysis groups have been omitted due to the participants still being identifiable following transcript anonymisation.

Further information about the project and links to publications are available on the University of Nottingham SafeSoc project webpage https://www.safesoc.co.uk

In May 2019, Dutch courts refused to deport an English suspected drug smuggler, citing the potential for inhuman and degrading treatment at HMP Liverpool. This well publicised judgment illustrates the necessity of my FLF: reconceptualising prison regulation, for safer societies. It seeks to save lives and money, and reduce criminal reoffending.

Over 10.74 million people are imprisoned globally. The growing transnational significance of detention regulation was signalled by the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture/OPCAT. Its 89 signatories, including the UK, must regularly examine treatment and conditions. The quality of prison life affects criminal reoffending rates, so the consequences of unsafe prisons are absorbed by our societies. Prison regulation is more urgent than ever. England and Wales' prisons are now less safe than at any point in recorded history, containing almost 83,000 prisoners: virtually all of whom will be released at some point. In 2016, record prison suicides harmed prisoners, staff and bereaved families, draining ~£385 million from public funds. Record prisoner self-harm was seen in 2017, then again in 2018. Criminal reoffending costs £15 billion annually. Deteriorating prison safety poses a major moral, social, economic and public health threat, attracting growing recognition.

Reconceptualising prison regulation is a difficult multidisciplinary challenge. Regulation includes any activity seeking to steer events in prisons. Effective prison regulation demands academic innovation and sustained collaboration and implementation with practitioners from different sectors (e.g. public, voluntary), regulators, policymakers, and prisoners: from local to (trans)national levels. Citizen participation has become central to realising more democratic, sustainable public services but is not well integrated across theory-policy-practice. I will coproduce prison regulation with partners, including the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, voluntary organisations Safe Ground and the Prison Reform Trust, and (former) prisoners.

This FLF examines three diverse case study countries: England and Wales, Brazil and Canada, developing multinational implications. This approach is ambitious and risky, but critical for challenging commonsensical beliefs. Interviews, focus groups, observation and creative methodologies will be used. There are three aims, to: i) theorise the (potential) participatory roles of prisoners and the voluntary sector in prison regulation ii) appraise the (normative) relationships between multisectoral regulators (e.g. public, voluntary) from local to (trans)national scales iii) co-produce (with multisectoral regulators), pilot, document and disseminate models of participatory, effective and efficient prison regulation in England and Wales (and beyond) - integrating multisectoral, multiscalar penal overseers and prisoners into regulatory theory and practice.

This is an innovative study. Punishment scholars have paid limited attention to regulation. Participatory networks of (former) prisoners are a relatively new formation but rapidly growing in influence. Nobody has yet considered agencies like the Prisons Inspectorate and Ombudsman alongside voluntary sector organisations and participatory networks, nor their collective influences from local to transnational scales. Nobody has tried to work with all of these agencies to reconceptualise prison regulation and test it in practice.

Findings will be developed, disseminated and implemented internationally. The research team will present findings and engage with diverse stakeholders and decision makers through interactive workshops (Parliament, London, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham), and multimedia outputs (e.g. infographics). This FLF has implications for prisons and detention globally, and broader relevance as a case study of participatory regulation of public services and policy translation.

In 2023/24 there were 186 police related fatalities in England and Wales, compared with 198 in the previous reporting year. Of these fatalities, 68 were suicides, 32 were road traffic fatalities, 24 were deaths in or following police custody, with two fatal shootings in this reporting year. A further 60 fatalities were defined as other deaths during or following police contact.

The Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) series provides data on the prevalence of both treated and untreated psychiatric disorder in the English adult population (aged 16 and over). This survey is the fourth in a series and was conducted by NatCen Social Research, in collaboration with the University of Leicester, for NHS Digital. The previous surveys were conducted in 1993 (16-64 year olds) and 2000 (16-74 year olds) by the Office for National Statistics, which covered England, Scotland and Wales. The 2007 Survey included people aged over 16 and covered England only. The survey used a robust stratified, multi-stage probability sample of households and assesses psychiatric disorder to actual diagnostic criteria for several disorders. The report features chapters on: common mental disorders, mental health treatment and service use, post-traumatic stress disorder, psychotic disorder, autism, personality disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, bipolar disorder, alcohol, drugs, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and self-harm, and comorbidity. All the APMS surveys have used largely consistent methods. They have been designed so that the survey samples can be combined. This is particularly useful for examination of low prevalence population groups and disorders. For example, in the APMS 2014 survey report, analyses of psychotic disorder (Chapter 5) and autism (Chapter 6) have been run using the 2007 and 2014 samples combined. Due to the larger sample size, we consider estimates based on the combined sample to be the more robust. Further notes on the Autism chapter can be found with that chapter and in the 'Additional notes on autism' document below. NHS Digital carried out a consultation exercise to obtain feedback from users on the APMS publication and statistics. The consultation will inform the design, content and reporting of any future survey. The consultation closed 30 December 2016, findings will be made available by April 2017. You can access the results of consultation when available in the Related Links below. A correction has been made to this publication in September 2017. This correction applies to all statistics relating to people receiving medication for a mental health condition and more widely to people accessing mental health treatment. This correction increases the proportion of adults (aged 16-74) with a common mental disorder accessing mental health treatment in 2014 from 37 per cent to 39 per cent. Overall the proportion of all people receiving mental health treatment in 2014 increases from 12 per cent to 13 per cent. Logistic regression models used in chapter 3 have not been corrected due to the change not being large enough to change the findings of this analysis. A further correction has been made to this publication in February 2018. This correction applies to statistics for Asian/Asian British men and all adults in Table 10.5 - Harmful and dependent drinking in the past year (observed and age-standardised), by ethnic group and sex. Statistics for the number of respondents with an AUDIT score of 16 or over previously incorrectly included only those with an AUDIT score between 16 and 19. This has now been corrected to include respondents with an AUDIT score of 20 or more. NHS Digital apologies for any inconvenience caused.