Figures released today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that male suicide is at its lowest in more than thirty years.
The 2017 suicide rate for males in the UK was 15.5 per 100,000, representing 4,382 suicides. This is the lowest rate since 1981. However, males are still three times more likely to die by suicide than females.
There were 1,439 female suicides in 2017, with the rate remaining stable at 4.9 per 100,000.
Samaritans CEO Ruth Sutherland said: “Suicide is not inevitable, it is preventable. And when someone takes their own life the result is absolute devastation for those left behind.
“It’s encouraging to see the reduction in male suicide. We believe that the focus of suicide prevention in recent years to tackle the higher rates in men has contributed to this. Added to this, reducing stigma around men’s mental health and encouraging men to open up and ask for help when they are struggling has been beneficial. But one death by suicide is still one too many.”