Stuart Anderson MP has endorsed a £10 million investment in suicide prevention activities, which will benefit tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis. Sadly, suicide is the biggest cause of death in both men and women under the age of 35 in the UK. Stuart has spoken about his own struggles with mental health after sustaining life-changing injuries as a result of his service in the Armed Forces. He has now welcomed the Suicide Prevention Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Grant Fund, which is available to charities in England to deliver a range of preventative and innovative activities that can help to sustain their services to help meet increased demand for support, or to embed preventative activities that can help to prevent suicides and stem the flow into crisis services.
Stuart is calling on charities to apply for the funding, so they can work with the NHS to provide life-saving services and ensure as many people as possible can access the support and prevention services they need, when they need it. Funding will also help to prevent people reaching crisis point and reduce future demand for these services across both the charity sector and the NHS. It could be used to boost capacity in crisis helplines - both for those struggling and for those who are concerned about a loved one - provide signposting to services, launch campaigns targeted at specific at-risk groups like young men, and support families who have experienced the tragedy of losing a loved one by suicide. Some 113 community suicide prevention enterprises have already received a share of £5.4 million in the last financial year through the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund to prevent suicide in high-risk groups. The results of the fund were overwhelmingly positive - with virtually every single successful bidder saying it had helped to meet increased demand after the pandemic, improved access to services for people in need, and helped identify those experiencing suicidal thoughts quicker.
The Government is investing £57 million into suicide prevention schemes through the NHS Long Term Plan by March 2024, and all local areas now have suicide prevention plans to address the specific needs of their populations. It is also investing at least £2.3 billion of additional funding a year by March 2024 to expand and transform NHS mental health services, so that an extra 2 million people can get the mental health support they need. Funding for mental health is expected to increase to 8.92% of NHS funding in this financial year, with the NHS projected to invest £13.6 billion investment to continue to provide, expand, and transform mental health services in England - including NHS talking therapies, children and young people’s mental health services, and eating disorder services. In December 2022, we saw almost 9,000 more mental health staff working than the previous year. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets out ambitions to grow the mental health workforce further. Later this year, the Government will publish a new National Suicide Prevention Strategy, which will set out further actions and commitments to deliver in this area.
Stuart Anderson MP: “As someone who struggled with my own mental health after sustaining life-changing injuries in the Armed Forces, I know that this £10 million investment will have a hugely positive impact – reaching tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis. We know that voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations can play an essential role in suicide prevention, and this investment will help them to deliver a range of preventative and innovative activities that can help to meet increased demand and prevent future demand through boosting the availability and accessibility of their services.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “Too many lives are sadly lost to suicide and my sympathy goes out to those affected by its truly devastating impacts. We’re already urgently investing record sums of money to transform and expand NHS mental health services, but the voluntary suicide prevention sector is such an important part of the support on offer and this multi-million pound fund recognises the work it carries out alongside the NHS. I encourage charities to apply for this funding so they can continue to save lives, tackle taboos and make a real difference to so many people.”
Minister for Mental Health Maria Caulfield said: “Every single suicide is a tragedy - one which still affects too many people in England. Heartbreakingly, it is still the biggest killer of men under 35. But we’re taking action. This £10 million fund for the voluntary and charity sector will help people nationwide receive crucial mental health support and builds on the success of previous funds, which supported tens of thousands of people approaching a crisis.”
The Suicide Prevention Grant Fund is open to voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations providing suicide prevention services, activities, or interventions. The deadline for applications is 11.55pm on 1 October 2023. Please visit www.gov.uk/government/publications/suicide-prevention-grant-fund-2023-to-2025.