Shock 15% rise in suicides since the recession as unemployment and bankruptcy take their toll

Nearly 3,500 people took their own lives last year

Some affluent areas saw rises of more than 50%

Worrying times: The number of suicides recorded by coroners has risen 15 per cent since the recession. Some areas have seen increases of more than 50 per cent (pictured posed by model)

Cases of suicide have rocketed since Britain plunged into recession, alarming new figures reveal.

Coroners courts concluded that 3,471 people had taken their own lives last year, a rise of 15 per cent compared to 2007.

However, right across the country, from the south west to Sunderland, local hotspots have seen numbers more than double.

And even in more affluent London and the Home Counties, large swathes of the region have seen suicide verdicts soar by more than 50 per cent.

Last night, experts and campaigners blamed sky-high rates of unemployment, home repossessions and personal bankruptcy for the grim toll.

And they warned that the bleak economic outlook could see the trend worsen.

Jane Harris, of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, said: 'These figures are very worrying.

'In a time of recession, people are more liable to develop stress, anxiety and depression, and these conditions can lead to suicidal feelings.

'They are more likely to be worried about money, keeping their jobs, about putting food on the table and paying the mortgage. People who already have a mental illness are especially vulnerable.

'We are now deeply concerned that the situation will only get worse over the next few years because it is clear that the full effects of the recession have yet to be felt.'

The latest Coroners Statistics reveal that there were 3,471 suicide verdicts returned in England and Wales last year, up seven per cent from 3,252 in 2010 and 15 per cent from 3,007 in 2007, when the credit crunch began to bite.

Regionally, over the past five years, London and the West Midlands have seen a 24 per cent rise in cases and the North East 23 per cent while only the East Midlands’s total has fallen – down four per cent.

Social crisis: Experts and campaigners have blamed sky-high rates of unemployment, home repossessions and personal bankruptcy for the grim toll

But at a more local level, some areas have seen the numbers more than double, including Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Sunderland, South Staffordshire, North Lincolnshire and Powys.

In the capital, West London saw 93 cases last year compared to 62 in 2007 while East London has risen from 29 to 46.

Essex saw 104 suicide verdicts up from 59; Sussex 135 up from 83; and Hampshire 134 up from 95.

Professor Rory O’Connor of Stirling University’s Suicidal Behaviour Research Group, said: 'Sadly, over many decades, there is evidence that suicide rates increase during times of recession.

'Indeed, these latest data are consistent with those from a number of countries in Europe over the last few years.

'We know that people who are unemployed are at least twice as likely to take their own lives than those in employment.

'So, considering the current economic climate, the added strain on individuals and families is not surprising.



'We know that people who are unemployed are at least twice as likely to take their own lives than those in employment. So, considering the current economic climate, the added strain on individuals and families is not surprising' Professor Rory O’Connor

'Concerns about mounting levels of debt, the inability to pay weekly bills take their toll in terms of stress and mental health - and suicide is seen too often as the solution to their mounting problems.

'As a society, we need to ensure that there are social safety nets in place to help those who are vulnerable. Suicide prevention is everyone’s business, from individuals and families to employers and governments.'

Countries across Europe have reported rising levels of suicide since austerity began to sweep the continent.

Police in Ireland have reportedly begun patrols of notorious spots where people often choose to take their own lives such as quays and sea cliffs after a 14 per cent increase in 2010.

Last year, a report found that suicide rates had risen by at least five per cent between 2007 and 2009 in nine out of ten European countries studied.

Stephen Platt, professor of public health policy at Edinburgh University and trustee of the Samaritans charity, said: 'There is strong research evidence about the link between economic recession - especially a sharp and large rise in unemployment - and suicide.

'A recent survey of Samaritans’ helpline showed that calls about financial issues have doubled in the last three years.

'One in every five calls is now about job concerns, housing problems, debt and other financial worries.'

REGIONAL SUICIDE VERDICTS IN ENGLAND AND WALES IN 2007 & 2011 2007 2011 Change West Midlands 245 304 +24.1%

London 295 366 +24.1%

North East 153 189 +23.5%

South West 313 386 +23.3%

South East 462 560 +21.2%

East 314 367 +16.9%

Yorkshire 321 365 +13.7%

North West 437 469 +7.3%

Wales 232 240 +3.4%

East Midlands 235 225 -4.2%

TOTAL 3,007 3,471 +15.4%



Source: Coroners Statistics

