Male Suicide in Rotherham 2025-03-24 (1)

Opened the debate

In Rotherham, male suicide is a silent tragedy on the rise. As the local MP, I receive too many calls or messages early in the morning or late at night, telling me about another husband, father, brother or friend who has died in these tragic circumstances... The numbers for men are startling and worth stating bluntly: suicide is the biggest killer of men aged under 50. Men account for three out of four suicides in England and Wales. A hundred men end their lives each week across the country. In Rotherham, men account for 79% of suicides... Beyond each individual tragedy is a wider story. There is a specific challenge for policymakers in grappling with male suicide... I am very aware of specific issues to do with gambling and male suicide... Social media and technology have allowed vulnerable users easier access to gambling... There are broader issues. Although the issue of men’s mental health is complex, there are specific policy areas that the Government must confront. First, the rates of men taking their own lives are highest in the most deprived communities... Secondly, we must save our NHS. This Government inherited a dilapidated health service and a particularly severely under-resourced mental health service... Thirdly, in my view we must be bolder in acknowledging the role that technology and social media have played in this crisis.

Government Response

The minister's response is not provided in the given text. I acknowledge the issue raised by my hon. Friend Jake Richards regarding male suicide rates and mental health services. The Government will publish a men’s health strategy to tackle these problems head-on, focusing on middle-aged men as a priority group. We are expanding support for individuals with gambling addictions through specialist clinics and recruiting 8,500 new mental health workers. Additionally, the government is providing £26 million in capital investment to open new mental health crisis centres. The suicide prevention strategy identifies online safety as a priority area, working closely with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology to address harmful content promoting suicide and self-harm. The Government recognises the importance of keeping young people safe while they benefit from technology advancements. By summer, new protections for children will be enforced through the Online Safety Act 2023 to ensure protection from harmful content and age-appropriate experiences online. The focus is also on early intervention in mental health challenges faced by young people, which involves providing access to mental health professionals in schools. Mental Health Support Teams like the With Me In Mind team based in Doncaster and Rotherham are part of this effort. The Government commits to rolling out Young Futures hubs across communities to deliver support for young people facing mental health issues. The Department for Education is reviewing relationship, sex, and health education statutory guidance with a focus on children’s wellbeing. They will carefully consider consultation responses before setting out next steps and engaging wider experts, including discussions on suicide prevention. Mental health remains a priority in the NHS, backed by the mental health investment standard to ensure funding is ringfenced for commitments. The Government must publish an annual statement setting out expectations for NHS mental health spending before the start of the next financial year. Suicide prevention is highlighted as everyone’s responsibility, and the Minister encourages men to contribute their views on building a better NHS through the Change NHS portal.