“Suicide prevention is a public health priority for local government and every council has a suicide prevention plan in place."
Responding to the latest Office for National Statistics figures on suicide registrations in England and Wales, for 2020, Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:
“Every suicide is a tragedy and it is worrying we continue to see particularly high rates among males, although there was a decrease in male suicides at the start of the pandemic.
“Delays in death registrations due to COVID-19 have also affected these figures, which means there could potentially be more suicides which we are not aware of yet to be registered.
“Suicide prevention is a public health priority for local government and every council has a suicide prevention plan in place. Councils are already working closely with schools, railway operators, businesses, hospitals and the police to prevent suicide and help those affected by it.
“The forthcoming Spending Review provides an opportunity to invest in council services, including public health, to help further strengthen local action to reduce and prevent suicide as we look to build back better from the pandemic and level up the country.”