Statistics for England:

• 4912 people died by suicide in 2020. This is 404 fewer than in 2019.
• The overall suicide rate was 10.0 per 100,000* compared to 10.8 per 100,000* in 2019.
• The male suicide rate for was 15.3 per 100,000* compared to the female suicide rate of 4.9 per 100,000*
• Males aged 45-49 continue to have the highest suicide rate (23.8 per 100,000)
• There is regional variation in the suicide rates. The North East of England had the highest suicide rate (13.3. per 100,000) in 2020, which has been the case in five out of the last 10 preceding years and saw an increase of 15.7% compared to 2019.

Statistics for Wales:

• 285 people died by suicide in 2020. This is 45 fewer than in 2019.
• The overall suicide rate was 10.3 per 100,000* compared to 12.2 per 100,000* in 2019.
• The male suicide rate was 16.7 per 100,000* compared to the female suicide rate of 4.3 per 100,000*

Statistics for Scotland:

• 805 people died by suicide in 2020. This is 28 fewer than in 2019
• The overall suicide rate was 15.0 per 100,000. The suicide rate remains statistically similar to 2019 and 2018, and significantly higher than the 4 years beforehand
• Males remain almost 3 times as likely to die by suicide than females, but the female suicide rate has increased since 2017
• People living in the most deprived areas are 3 times more likely to die by suicide than those in the least deprived areas

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People think about suicide for different reasons:

• If you are worried that someone may be thinking about suicide, talk to them. Ask them about how they are feeling.
• Talking to someone about their suicidal thoughts does not make them more likely to end their life.
• You can help someone who is feeling suicidal by listening, without judging them.
• You can support someone to think about other options to deal with their feelings. Such as accessing support from the NHS, charities or self-help.
• Small gestures such as saying ‘hello’ or asking, ‘how are you today?’ can sometimes make a big difference to how someone is feeling.
• If someone is in crisis you may need to get help from mental health services or the emergency services.
• If someone tries to end their life, this is not your fault.
• Helping someone with suicidal thoughts is likely to have a big impact on you. Find out what support is available to you.

What makes someone think of suicide?

People will think of suicide for different reasons. If someone is exposed to a ‘risk factor’ it needs to be assumed that suicidal thoughts are more likely to happen.

A risk factor might include:

• Difficult life events. Such as a traumatic childhood or experiencing physical or emotional abuse,
• Something upsetting or life changing such as a relationship ending or a loved one dying,
• Anger at other people,
• Misusing drugs or alcohol,
• Living alone or having little social contact with other people,
• Having a mental health condition such as depression, schizophrenia or personality disorder,
• Having a physical health condition, especially if this causes pain or serious disability, or
• Problems with work or money.

Why may someone end their life?

There are lots of reasons why someone may end their life. Some reasons are:

• Escape what they feel is an impossible situation,
• Relieve unbearable thoughts or feelings, or
• Relieve physical pain or incapacity.

What kind of thoughts may someone have?

When someone feels suicidal, they may have some of the thoughts listed below:

• I have let myself and other people down.
• I am a burden.
• I am a failure.
• No one needs me.
• What’s the point in living?
• I will never find a way out of my problem.
• I have lost everything.
• Things will never get better for me.
• Nobody cares about me.
• I’ll show them what they have done to me.

Some people feel guilty for thinking about suicide if they have people who care about them. This can sometimes make the feelings of despair worse.

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A change in someone’s personality and behaviour might be a sign that they are having suicidal thoughts. You may be the best judge of when someone you know is behaving differently.

Changes can include:

• Becoming anxious,
• Being more irritable,
• Being more confrontational,
• Becoming quiet,
• Having mood swings,
• Acting recklessly,
• Sleeping too much or too little,
• Not wanting to be around other people,
• Avoiding contact with friends and family,
• Having different problems with work or studies, or
• Saying negative things about themselves.

There are some indicators that suggest someone is more likely to attempt suicide. These include:

• Threatening to hurt or kill themselves,
• Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide,
• Preparing to end their life. Such as storing up medication, or
• Putting affairs in order. Such as giving away belongings or making a will.
  
  

Signs that something is wrong can sometimes be more difficult to spot. Such as a cheeriness which may seem fake to you. Or they may joke about their emotions. Such as saying something quite alarming that is disguised as a joke. Don’t ignore your gut feeling if you are concerned about someone. Some people won’t be open about how they are feeling. A lot of people try to seek help before attempting suicide by telling other people about their feelings. This could be a professional, friend or family member. If someone tells you about how they are feeling don’t ignore them.

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Signs that something is wrong can sometimes be more difficult to spot. Such as a cheeriness which may seem fake to you. Or they may joke about their emotions. Such as saying something quite alarming that is disguised as a joke. If you are feeling suicidal now you may be feeling very alone, lost, frightened, confused. You may be feeling there is no other way out of your problem, difficulties, worries, feelings, or whatever reason you are contemplating taking your life.

It may be that at the moment you are so overcome with feelings, sadness, despair, that you are not able to think clearly about other possibilities, other solutions, other alternatives, other ways of coping.
Suicide is very final - if you succeed in taking your life - there are no second chances and nobody really knows what will happen when they die. It may be difficult to take in at this moment in time but the feelings you have at the moment may be temporary - you may not always feel like this. There are people who have been in exactly the same position as you but who somehow found a way to survive and now thrive and have gone on to find happiness and fulfilment in life and to be able to cope with life more easily - they have found alternatives to suicide and were glad that they did not take their own life.

You may feel like this now because the pain you are feeling has become unbearable. Just talking to someone else about how you are feeling can take some of that weight off your shoulders. There may be other things you can do to help yourself cope, to change things, to survive. It is incredibly sad that you feel so bad that you want to die. You may be telling yourself that other people would be better off without you but other people would not want you to take your life. You may feel that nobody cares about you anyway but there are people who will care if you allow them to care for you. I care deeply that you are thinking of ending your life, that you see no hope, no alternative, but something so final as death. You may be trying to convince yourself that your loved ones would be better off without you but if you were able to see the devastation that it causes families and friends of people who take their own lives you would not think that.

If you cannot see for yourself a reason to carry on living try and give others the chance to explore with you whether they can help you to see if there are any reasons for you to carry on living - give someone a chance to do that for you. You have nothing to lose. If you are determined to kill yourself there is no hurry - there is no need to take immediate action. Give yourself the next few days to see whether there are any alternatives, talk to a friend, a relative, a helpline, a counsellor, look at some of the websites where other people have felt suicidal but found alternatives to killing themselves. There are alternatives to suicide so give yourself some time to find some support, some help with coping and talk to others about how you are really feeling. Allow others to care for you just as you would if your best friend came and told you he/she was suicidal - talk to yourself as you would a friend.

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Every year on 10th September, people around the world come together to support World Suicide Prevention Day. Nearly five thousand people die every day by suicide in the UK, with men almost three times as likely to complete suicide than females.

Peter was a 4th-year apprentice and described as a caring and generous young man. His parents knew about struggles he had been having with poor mental health, but his employer was unaware. His family assumed he was coping and that the medication prescribed by the GP was working. While his employer made staff aware of the services available for mental health support, Peter chose not to seek any of this help. After a trivial argument with his girlfriend, he consumed a large amount of alcohol and completed suicide.

Peter’s family, friends and work colleagues were left devastated. They were plagued by questions they couldn’t stop asking themselves: Did they miss the signs? Could they have done more to help him? Why didn’t he call a friend? Why did he see suicide as his only option? They were all questions that could never be answered, and his family and friends struggled with what they saw as their own failings in not recognising how bad things were for him.
Peter may have convinced himself that his loved ones were better off without him but if he had been able to see the devastation it caused, he perhaps would not have thought that. In this case, Peter’s family, friends and colleagues were left grief-stricken.

The EIC worked with both Peter’s employer and the college he had been studying at to support those struggling to come to terms with his loss. Peter’s family were experiencing major anxiety so we sourced and funded bereavement support and counselling to support them with the loss of their son and brother.

Many people who are bereaved by suicide need more specific support than that provided for general bereavement. To address this, there are support groups especially designed for people bereaved by suicide. You may feel that nobody cares about you but there are people who will care if you let them.

Suicide is very final. If you succeed in ending your life, there are no second chances, and nobody really knows what happens after they pass. The feelings at this moment may be temporary and you may not always feel this way. There are people who have been in the same position as you that have gone on to find happiness and fulfilment. They have found alternatives to suicide and are glad they didn’t take their own life.

The help Peter’s friends, family and colleagues were able to access is due to the support of the EIC and the powerLottery. It means they got the support they needed to start the process of coming to terms with Peter’s loss. Without powerLottery, the EIC would not be able to offer this support to family, friends and colleagues such as Peter’s. That’s why we need you to become a powerLottery player to help EIC to continue supporting our industry members.
powerLottery is the only lottery made for our industry by our industry. It gives players 40 chances to win cash prizes ranging from £50 to £1,000 every single month. A £10,000 draw bi-yearly gives you even more opportunity to win BIG. A new car, a holiday in the sun, a kitchen re-fit or a brand-new wardrobe… Think of all the different ways you could spend £10,000.
To sign up to play the powerLottery today, click here: https://www.electricalcharity.org/lottery

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If you think that someone may be feeling suicidal, encourage them to talk about how they are feeling. You may feel uncomfortable talking about suicidal feelings. You may not know what to say. This is entirely normal and understandable.

It might help to:

• Let them know that you care about them and that they are not alone,
• Empathise with them. You could say something like, ‘I can’t imagine how painful this is for you, but I would like to try to understand,’
• Be non-judgemental. Don’t criticise or blame them,
• Repeat their words back to them in your own words. This shows that you are listening. Repeating information can also make sure that you have understood them properly,
• Ask about their reasons for living and dying and listen to their answers. Try to explore their reasons for living in more detail,
• Ask if they have felt like this before. If so, ask how their feelings changed last time,
• Reassure them that they will not feel this way forever,
• Encourage them to focus on getting through the day rather than focusing on the future,
• Ask them if they have a plan for ending their life. Ask what the plan is,
• Encourage them to seek help that they are comfortable with. Such as help from a doctor or counsellor, or support through a charity such as the Samaritans,
• Follow up any commitments that you agree to,
• Make sure someone is with them if they are in immediate danger,
• Try to get professional help for the person feeling suicidal, and
• Get support for yourself.
• Remember that you don’t need to find an answer, or even to completely understand why they feel the way they do. Listening to what they have to say will at least let them know you care.

If you are not sure that someone is feeling suicidal, ask:

“Are you thinking about suicide?” or
“Are you having thoughts of ending your life?”

These questions are direct. It is better to address the person’s feelings directly rather than avoiding the issue. Asking about suicide won’t make it more likely to happen.

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When someone tells you that they are feeling suicidal your response may be to:

• Try and find an easy solution,
• Tell them to ‘cheer up’, ‘pull themselves together’, ‘man up’ or ‘snap out of it,’
• Change the subject,
• Tell them that they have no reason to feel like that,
• Tell them that they shouldn’t feel like that
• Tell them that they should be grateful for having a good life, or
• Tell them that are being silly.

These responses are unlikely to be helpful. They may make someone feel:

• Rejected,
• Unheard,
• Alone,
• Like ‘no one understands,’
• Guilty,
• Patronised,
• Criticised, or
• Analysed.
• Reassurance, respect and support can help someone to recover from a difficult time.

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Talking about suicide can be a plea for help. Don’t assume that someone wont attempt to take their own life if they talk about suicide. Always take suicidal feelings seriously.
If you talk to someone about their feelings and it seems as though they want to end their life soon, try to keep them safe in the short term.

How do I keep them safe?

It is unlikely that you will be able to make their feelings go away, but you can help them by:

• Not leaving them on their own,
• Talking to them. See the beginning of this section for more information,
• Seeking professional help. See the following section for more information,
• Helping them to create a crisis plan, and
• Removing items that they can end their life with.

The removal of items will depend on what their immediate plan is to end their life. Examples include:

• Sharp objects such as razor blades and knives,
• Cleaning products,
• Drugs, and
• Belts, cords, wires and rope

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A crisis plan is sometimes called a safety plan. Ideally a crisis plan should be made before someone is in crisis, but it is never too late to start.
If someone is being supported by a care coordinator, they should already have a crisis plan in place. You can ask them to show you their crisis plan. But it is their choice if they show you or not.

The aim of a crisis plan is to think about what support someone needs when they are in crisis. This may include:

• Not being alone,
• Removing certain objects from the home,
• Talking to a certain person or helpline,
• Talking to a professional,
• Distraction techniques, and
• Including reasons to live, such as pictures of family.

Distraction techniques can include:

• Read a book or magazine
• Watch a film or TV
• Go to a museum
• Walk in a green space like a park
• Draw or paint
• Listen to music
• Sing
• Listen to nature
• Spend time with a pet
• Remember to write down the names and numbers of people who would be able to help them.

There is no set way for how a crisis plan should look but here is a crisis plan template.

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Depending on the needs of the person you’re supporting, they might find different services useful. Sometimes, it can be important to recognise the limit of the support you can offer as a friend, and reach out for professional help.

Samaritans
We’re here to listen, no pressure judgement, any time of the day or night. They can call us for free on 116 123, or email us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. They might also find it useful to watch and read stories of people who have recovered from suicidal attempts and suicidal feelings.

GP
If someone is feeling suicidal it is a good idea for them to talk to a doctor, who can suggest therapy and/or medication that might be helpful. They can find their local GP practice using the links below, depending on where they are living. Some GP practices offer emergency appointments.

NHS 111
In the UK, you can call NHS 111 by dialling 111 if the person you’re with is unwell or hurt but in a way that is not life-threatening.

Specialist services
We’ve compiled a list of specialist services in the UK and Ireland. Depending on the situation of the person you’re supporting, these might be able to offer them tailored support. For example, they might benefit from support for domestic violence, alcohol abuse or loneliness.

Losing someone to suicide

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Every type of grief has the potential to cause intense and complex feelings, but research shows that people bereaved by suicide can have a particularly complex set of feelings and can experience additional struggles and dilemmas in trying to resolve their grief. Feelings you might experience when you lose someone to suicide include intense sadness, shock, anger, frustration, confusion and isolation. Some people also talk about experiencing a sense of shame or guilt, and while this is a very common reaction it is important to remember that people who take their own lives are often trying to stop feelings of distress that can feel as intense and real as physical pain - the reasons for suicide are complex and you are not to blame.

Who is affected by a suicide?
Suicide can have a ripple effect, extending well beyond the person's immediate family and friends. How you are affected will depend on your relationship to the person who has died, the strength of the attachment and the circumstances around the death. While losing someone close to you to suicide can be an extremely painful and emotionally complex experience, you may find that you are also affected if someone you know less well has taken their life. If you feel affected by a suicide, there are organisations that can help. Talking through difficult emotions and talking about the person who died can be helpful in processing the loss.

What help is available?
Many people bereaved by suicide find that they need more specific support than that provided for bereavement in general and can find it particularly valuable to make use of support groups that are especially designed for people bereaved by suicide. In addition to the support options mentioned on our support and self-care page, you might like to consider the following:
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) are a great source of support for people who have been bereaved by suicide. See the SOBS website for details of their helpline, local support groups and many more practical resources. Cruse Bereavement Care also has some suggestions for further reading and support for people who have lost a loved one to suicide. See Cruse's website for more information on traumatic bereavement and suicide, including support if you live in Wales.

 

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