Suicide rate fell during first lockdown, new data shows

The most notable decreases were found amongst those aged 10 to 24

ONS data found that suicide rates fell during the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020 (AFP via Getty Images)

The suicide rate in England and Wales fell during the first national Covid-19 lockdown, new data from the Office for National Statistics shows.

An analysis of ONS death registration data revealed that 1,603 suicides occurred between April and July 2020, which represents a drop of 18 per cent from the same period in 2019. The figure is also 12.7 per cent below the average for the previous five years.

The preliminary figure equates to a mortality rate of 9.2 deaths by suicide per 100,000 people, which is significantly lower than rates for the period of April through July in the previous three years, and comparable to the 2016 rate.