"Unchanged Suicide Rates Prompt Samaritans' Warning to Jeremy Hunt"

The charity Samaritans has urged Jeremy Hunt to ring-fence funding for suicide prevention, highlighting that suicide rates in England have remained the same as they were 20 years ago. In 2021, 5,219 people died by suicide in England, with suicide being the leading cause of death for men under 50 and women under 35. The charity, along with 24 other mental health organizations, has called for £77 million in funding to support the government's five-year suicide prevention strategy. The previous funding is set to run out in a few months, and the organizations emphasize the need for long-term investment to address the mental health crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.