Labour minister Jake Richards has called for stronger action to prevent suicide among middle-aged men, saying the challenge requires a response across government and wider society.
Richards: ‘a tragic phenomenon’
The Labour MP for Rother Valley, whose ministerial responsibilities include men and boys, highlighted the issue in a statement on Sunday, 4 October.
“We must do more as a country to tackle this tragic phenomenon,” he said.
Richards welcomed the government’s first Men’s Health Strategy and the work of colleagues at the Department of Health and Social Care. He said suicide prevention would also be a key theme of the government’s work across departments on men and boys.
His intervention followed a Times article examining suicide among men in their fifties.
The Men’s Health Strategy
Office for National Statistics figures for deaths registered in England and Wales in 2024 show that men aged 50 to 54 had the highest suicide rate of any male age group, at 27.5 deaths per 100,000. The figures concern deaths registered that year, which may have occurred earlier because of the time taken to complete inquests.
England’s Men’s Health Strategy, published in November 2025, includes a commitment to invest up to £3.6 million over three years in neighbourhood suicide prevention projects for middle-aged men.
The projects are intended to address barriers to seeking support, particularly in areas with the greatest risk, and will be designed with experts and men with lived experience.
The strategy also includes collaboration with the Premier League and Samaritans to reach men through football and reduce stigma around seeking help.
Richards stressed that tackling the problem was a responsibility for everyone, “not merely government”.
Anyone who needs someone to talk to can call Samaritans free on 116 123, any time, day or night.
