Wales now has the UK’s highest male suicide rate
New figures show that the male suicide rate in Wales has reached its highest level on record and is now the worst in the UK.
Research from the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys (CPRMB) found that 337 men in Wales died by suicide in 2024, the highest number since records began in 1981.
The analysis shows that the male suicide rate has risen to 25 per 100,000, while the female rate stands at 6.8 per 100,000, also its highest level since 2017.
Mark Brooks, Policy Director of the CPRMB, who compiled the statistics, said: “Every life lost through suicide is a tragedy, and the latest official figures on male suicide rates in Wales are a huge concern. They continue to rise, are the worst ever in Wales and now are the highest in the UK. There needs to be a specific strategy and plan solely focused on male suicide, and more broadly, men’s health.
“To deal with any problem it’s really important to properly understand it, and if we fail to look at the problem of suicide without looking at gender, we will never make significant inroads into prevention. We need to know why so many men in Wales are taking their own lives, a tragedy for those men and their families, friends, workmates, and all who love them.”
The research calls for a dedicated men’s health strategy in Wales, similar to the new Men’s Health Strategy for England announced by UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting on International Men’s Day in November 2025.
Wales currently has a Women’s Health Plan, and the CPRMB suggests a male-focused strategy could help address the growing number of suicides among men.
The study also points to gaps in the Welsh Government’s suicide prevention and self-harm strategy, noting that while it is “entirely welcome,” it lacks a gender-sensitive approach.
Local authority data shows the highest suicide rates in Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire, Merthyr Tydfil and Gwynedd.
If you need support, please contact Samaritans https://www.samaritans.org and other organisations listed on the NHS Wales https://111.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/s/article/suicidalthoughts
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