Marjorie Wallace

Stories

Suicide rates for middle-aged men hit record high in England and Wales

Director of mental health charity Sane

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released suicide registration figures for England and Wales on 13 October. Men aged 50 to 54 died at a rate of 28.0 per 100,000 people in 2025, the highest since record-keeping began in 1981. That is up from 27.3 in 2024 and is the highest rate across any age group for either sex. Some 532 suicides were registered in that age group.

Updated Oct 19

Notable Quotes

"Almost 60 per cent of our callers now talk about suicide or self-harm, a very different picture than 10 years ago."

from Suicide rates for middle-aged men hit record high in England and Wales · Updated Oct 19

"We are calling for more available support and treatment locally so people who feel they are no longer safe in the community can be given a chance of early intervention with risks identified, and not be sent away from a hospital A&E and most likely onto a long waiting list."

from Suicide rates for middle-aged men hit record high in England and Wales · Updated Oct 19