MP uses debate to highlight male suicide numbers

A South Yorkshire MP is to use a Commons debate to address the number of male suicides in the area he represents, saying many men are "suffering in silence".

Rother Valley Labour MP Jake Richards, who will lead the debate, said the male suicide rate in Rotherham was higher than the national average.

In 2023, a total of 452 male suicides were recorded in Yorkshire and the Humber region, with men aged between 45 and 49 having the highest suicide rate.

Mr Richards said many men still felt uncomfortable talking about their mental health: "A lot of the cases I've dealt with were blokes whose families and friends had no idea they were going through really difficult periods."

According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, 5,656 suicides were registered in England in 2023, of which 4,188 were males who took their own lives.

Mr Richards said he wanted to promote the work of mental health organisations in Rotherham, such as Andy's Man Club, a male suicide prevention charity which runs support groups across the UK.

Mr Richards said: "I want to play my part where I can to support these organisations."

Ian Watson, lead facilitator at the Andy's Man Club in Maltby, Rotherham, said many men still did not talk about their feelings because they felt they "should be able to 'man up' and get on with things".

He said this contributed to rising suicides amongst older men, because they were more likely to "throw themselves into work, withdraw from life, and put on a smile".

Mr Watson, who used to work as a train driver, said he became involved with the charity after someone took their own life in front of his train in 2021.

Although he was offered support by his employer and colleagues, he found himself in a "very isolated place" which had an impact on his personal life.

"I was very short-tempered and seemed to be tired all the time, and I'd become something I didn't like - but I wanted to change that," he said.

Mr Watson said attending one of the Andy's Man Club groups allowed him to talk about what happened and how he felt.

However, he said he wanted to encourage more men to open up, with the hope of preventing suicides like the one he witnessed.

Mr Watson said that since running his own group, some men had reached out to tell him that attending the club had saved their life.

Mr Richards, who has previously visited the group, said for some men it was "the key part of their week to help them get them through the week".

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "It's this government's mission to reduce the lives lost to suicide, giving mental health the attention and focus it deserves.

"For too long, men with mental health issues have not been getting the support they need. We are taking action to address this, by publishing a men's health strategy to improve health outcomes for all men.

"As we shift from sickness to prevention, we will recruit an extra 8,500 adult and child mental health staff, modernise the Mental Health Act, and provide access to mental health support in every school."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story you can visit BBC Action Line.

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