New figures demonstrate recent rise in male suicides

The number of UK men taking their own lives saw a pronounced increase during 2013, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics.

According to the data, 6,233 suicides of British people aged 15 and over were recorded, up by four percent on the previous year. This brought the suicide rate to 11.9 deaths per 100,000 members of the population.

The male suicide rate in 2013 was the highest since 2001, with three times as many men as women attempting suicide. By contrast, female rates have stayed relatively constant since 2007.

A particularly high suicide rate was seen among men aged 45 to 59, at 25.1 deaths per 100,000 – the highest for that age group since 1981.

The figures are likely to act as a catalyst for the government's continued efforts to bolster the profile of mental health issues in the UK, with the aim of enshrining them as equally important as physical health matters.

Part of this includes a recently-announced target to achieve zero suicides across the NHS.