Responding to the latest ONS data on suicide rates, Jacqui Morrissey, Assistant Director of Research & Influencing at Samaritans, said:
“These latest figures are just more worrying evidence that not enough is being done to drive down our high suicide rates, which remain at levels similar to four years ago. Females under 24 have shown the biggest increase in suicide since records began, which is particularly concerning given our research has shown that young people are likely to bear the brunt of the financial turmoil brought about by the pandemic, now made worse by the Cost of Living crisis.
“Samaritans wants to see a new national suicide prevention plan, led by the Government, that will achieve the lowest national suicide rate in history - anything less will simply be accepting failure.”