Cumbrian suicide rates rise above national average

The ONS has published the annual figures showing how many people died by suicide broken down by local authority in comparison to the regional and national deaths too. 

In 2023, 6069 people died by suicide in England and Wales, which was an increase of 7.5 per cent on the previous year which saw 5,642 people die in this way. 

Cumberland Council area's figures decreased with 46 people dying by suicide in 2023 compared to 51 in 2022. However, despite there being an overall fall in suicide in the north of the county, the number of deaths per 100,000 has continued to rise.

The rate per 100,000 during the 2021 to 2023 period in the Cumberland Council area increased to 19 from 18.3 which was the rate between 2020 to 2022. This is a stark contrast to 10.9 in England and Wales.

Chris Wood, co-founder of Every Life Matters, said: "Cumberland's got almost double the England average of suicides. That is a public health crisis.

"What we can see in Cumbria is that Cumberland particularly, also Westmorland and Furness, are pulling away very sharply from the England and Wales averages in terms of that but specifically around the per hundred thousand suicide rate over the three-year rolling average. 

"We are seeing vulnerable communities particularly in the north west and north east of England being increasingly hit by suicide."

Suicide is an issue that has affected people living in Cumbria for many years now, prior to the local authority changes Copeland and Carlisle had some of the highest suicide rates by district in England and Wales. 

Since 2017, Cumberland Council area's suicide rate per 100,00 has climbed from 13.1 to 19.

Colin Cox, director of public health for Cumberland Council, said: "It's absolutely clearly showing that there are real problems and Cumberland is looking unusual in this.

"The numbers themselves are still relatively low as a cause of death, but it's clear that every single death is an absolute tragedy and is one too many, because it doesn't just affect the people who die, it affects the family, the friends, the whole community round about them.

"I think it is a major public health issue that we are desperately trying to understand so we can do something more about it."

When speaking about the broader national rise of people dying by suicide, Jen Walters who is the executive director of social change at Mind said that the effects of the pandemic as well as the cost of living crisis are deeply affecting the population. 

However, neither Mr Cox or Mr Woods can point to any one individual reason why Cumbria's rates have creeped so high above the figures for England and Wales. 

Both point to deprivation as a contributing factor but, according to Mr Wood, this is only one stressor contributing to the county's figures. 

He believes that it is a combination of different factors coming together including the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis, long-term health conditions, and government cuts to the NHS and other essential public bodies.

Mr Wood commented: "I think there's a mix of factors that are coming together and suicide is almost like the sharp end of actually a lot of these struggles and for many people it may be a combination of factors coming together."

Mr Cox added: "The challenge that we've got is that Cumbria as a whole has always had a high suicide rate. It has had for years now.

"It's getting worse, there has been a change in the last five years or so. It's been rising more steeply and fundamentally we don't know why.

"We can talk to people who've been involved in work to try to prevent suicide for years, and when you say, 'why has Cumbria got a high suicide rate?', they don't know. And until you know why that is, it's a bit difficult to know what to do about it."

Cumberland Council has been working to destigmatise suicide and get people talking about it as well as working with vulnerable people through the mental health services.

But, they are now producing a piece of work to get a better picture of why Cumbria's suicide rate is so high.

The council is speaking to people who have been bereaved by suicide and those who have attempted suicide to understand what they were thinking and what pushed them towards that decision.

Mr Cox said: "There's a bit of research with people who have been bereaved by suicide and with people who have attempted suicide, to try to understand what they were thinking, what was it that drove them to make that decision, so we can try to understand it better."

Support is available from national and local organisations to help people who are experiencing thoughts of suicide - whether that's over the phone, email, or via text. 

But, as a community, people can help one another by talking to loved ones if they're going through a difficult time and directing them to local support services if they need legal or financial support.

Mr Wood said: "We need to be more mindful that people are more pressured now and that actually we need to be looking out for each other that little bit more now than we have done before.

"We need individuals to feel that they know about where they can reach out for help and that help is accessible."

For more information about where to get help when you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or how you can support someone at risk, or if you have been bereaved by suicide, visit every-life-matters.org.uk. If you are having thoughts of suicide, you can access support via:

• Call NHS 111 and select the Mental Health Option

• North Cumbria NHS Universal Mental Health Crisis Line 0800 652 2865 - open 24/7

• South Cumbria NHS Urgent Mental Health Support Line 0800 953 0110 - open 24/7

• Samaritans – Call 116 123 – open 24/7

• PAPYRUS – Call 0800 068 41 41 – 9am to midnight. Support line for young people at risk of suicide.

• CALM – Call 0800 58 58 58. Men’s Helpline open 5pm – Midnight

• Shout Crisis Text Service – Text Shout to 85258 to get 24/7 text support