Research report: NCISH (2025)

The National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health. Annual Report 2025: UK patient and general population data, 2012 - 2022. 2025. University of Manchester.

The findings in this report (23 pages) relate to people aged 10 and above who died by suicide between 2012 and 2022 across all of the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) and Jersey. 

In this year’s report the authors present data on specific topics reflecting current concerns in suicide prevention including patients with bipolar disorder, patients who have missed their last contact with services and/or were non-adherent with medication, and patients who have been recently (within 3 months) bereaved. 

Overall

There were 70,590 deaths in the general population in the UK and Jersey that were registered as suicide or ‘undetermined’, an average of 6,417 deaths per year. 

• In England and Wales there were higher rates of suicide deaths occurring in 2017 and 2018 following the lowering of the standard of proof used by coroners that was introduced in 2018, and then a plateau. 
• In Scotland there were higher rates from 2018 compared to those in 2014 - 2017.
• Northern Ireland rates were lower from 2015 which reflect a change in how some deaths are classified. 
• In Jersey the rates fluctuated, being based on small numbers.

There was some variation in the peak age by UK country, but overall, the highest rates were in middle-aged groups, especially 40-44 and 45-49 years.

Suicide in mental health patients with bipolar disorder 

There were 1,491 patients who died by suicide who had received a primary diagnosis of bipolar disorder, 8% of all patient suicides, an average of 136 deaths per year. More often they were:

• female and older (aged 45-64) 
• living alone 
• ill for longer than 5 years
• less likely to have a comorbid psychiatric or physical illness.

Suicide following missed contact 

An estimated 3,817 patients who died by suicide had missed their final contact with mental health services, accounting for 22% of all patient suicides, an average of 347 deaths per year. 

A higher proportion of patients who died by suicide and had missed their last service contact were men. Overall, they were more likely to be:

• younger (more aged under 25 and 25-44)
• single 
• unemployed
• living alone.

The most common primary diagnosis was affective disorder (bipolar disorder and depression). 

Suicide and recent bereavement in mental health patients 

• In 2012-2022, there were 1,312 mental health patients who died by suicide and had been recently (within 3 months) bereaved, 8% of all patients, an average of 119 deaths per year
• The number increased over two-fold in 2016-2022 compared to 2012-2015
• The increase was seen in both male and female patients, and in those aged 25-44, 45-54 and 65 and above, but not in those aged under 25
• The increase may be due to a greater awareness by clinicians of the impact of bereavement on mental health.

NCISH 2025 Reports, data and clinical messages

_{Photo by Anna Nekrashevich.}