Over 5,000 deaths by suicide occurred in England this past year, according to government figures.
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that between October 2023 to September 2024, there were around 5,708 deaths by suicide.
People between the ages 50 to 54 accounted for over one in ten of these deaths.
Nicky Brennan, cabinet member for Social Justice, Community Safety and Equalities at Birmingham City Council, said:
“Just one death from suicide is one too many and in Birmingham we are committed to preventing suicide among citizens of all ages and backgrounds. However, there are some groups we know are at risk, and in terms of age, this is people aged 50 to 54.
“While the reasons someone in this age group dies by suicide is different for every person, there are experiences and life challenges faced by so many in mid-life which can commonly increase the risk of someone feeling suicidal, such as financial instability and changes in personal circumstances.”
The cabinet member added:
“In Birmingham, we’re currently drafting our next suicide prevention strategy and action plan, and a key priority group in this is going to be middle-aged men, who are the most at-risk group by age and sex.
“As part of our wider ‘creating a mentally healthy city’ strategy, we will also be addressing risk factors which are associated with mid-life and improving literacy around mental health and wellbeing, so that people who struggle to reach out for support are able to do so.”
If you need someone to talk to or would like advice about your mental health, you can contact the Samaritans on 116 123, or email them at jo@samaritans.org.