Suicide in the UK: Statistics and Prevention Strategies

World Mental Health Day takes place on 10 October each year. The overall aim is to raise awareness of mental health issues and to encourage efforts to support mental health. The theme for 2019 is “working together to prevent suicide—a day for ‘40 seconds of action’”. This refers to World Health Organisation estimates that every 40 seconds someone loses their life to suicide.

This briefing provides information on: the prevalence of suicide in the UK; key statistics and analysis; and suicide prevention strategies.