SPARK tracks public attitudes, lived exposure, and confidence in suicide prevention knowledge over time. In doing so, it complements the official statistics on deaths by suicide and self-harm related harm, by highlighting what sits underneath those headline outcomes: how many people are affected, how confident they feel to respond, and how learning and awareness are changing.
Mental health appears to have stabilised, but progress has stalled
SPARK trend data suggests the acute period of strain seen in early 2023 has eased, but improvement has now largely flattened. Around six in ten adults describe their physical and mental health as good, with little change since Spring 2025. Self-reported experience of mental health issues in the past year has also stabilised at around 15 to 16 percent in recent waves.
This sits alongside a wider national picture where suicide prevention remains a priority, reflected in the ongoing policy focus in England and across devolved administrations.
Suicide and self-harm affect far more people than is visible in mortality statistics
Exposure to suicide and self-harm remains widespread in the SPARK data. Around a third of people report knowing someone who has self-harmed, while roughly a quarter report knowing someone who has attempted suicide and survived, or who has died by suicide. Around one in twenty report having witnessed a suicide attempt or a death by suicide.
The report also quantifies the wider social impact. Among people who had known someone who died by suicide, 29 percent believed the death impacted more than 50 other people, and 13 percent estimated impacts on more than 100 people. Among those who had known someone who self-harmed, 26 percent said it impacted them greatly and a further 46 percent said somewhat.
These findings help explain why suicide prevention work often has a broader footprint than services alone. Bereavement support, workforce training, and community capacity-building all matter because the ripple effects are substantial.
Suicidal thoughts remain common, even where attempts are relatively stable
In SPARK, around two in five adults report having had suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives (including thoughts they would never act upon). The proportion reporting suicidal thoughts has reduced from 2022 levels but remains consistently high in recent waves. Reports of suicide attempts are lower and relatively stable (around 5 to 7 percent), while around one in ten report a plan or attempt. Those who have seriously considered suicide, made a plan or attempted it peaked in Spring 2023 but has since settled at around one in five.
This distinction is important in interpretation. Official mortality data is essential for understanding trends in deaths, but it does not capture the prevalence of suicidal distress, nor whether people around someone in distress feel equipped to respond.
Confidence to recognise risk and take action is slipping
A particularly concerning SPARK signal in Autumn 2025 is declining confidence in suicide knowledge. While around half feel confident about where to go for information or support, only around a third feel confident they could spot the signs someone is at risk of suicide or know where to access suicide awareness training. Confidence in how best to ask someone if they are having suicidal thoughts is consistently lower than other measures.
This matters operationally. Suicide prevention strategies increasingly emphasise “making suicide prevention everyone’s business”, which assumes the public and frontline workforces have the skills and confidence to act. Where confidence drops, the risk is that concern does not translate into action.
How SPARK aligns with the national statistics on suicides and self-harm
SPARK is not a substitute for official suicide mortality statistics. Instead, it provides context that can help decision-makers interpret what the population is experiencing alongside those official measures.
In the most recent official registrations data, there were 6,190 suicides registered in England and Wales in 2024, a rate of 11.4 deaths per 100,000, similar to 2023 (11.3). Male registered suicide rates remain substantially higher than female rates (17.6 vs 5.7 per 100,000 in 2024). Wales recorded a higher rate than England in 2024, and there is also notable regional variation within England.
For self-harm related harm, national indicators based on hospital activity show both scale and severity. The Public Health Outcomes Framework commentary notes 68,468 emergency hospital admissions for intentional self-harm in April 2023 to March 2024 (117.0 per 100,000), and explicitly highlights the association between self-harm and later suicide risk.
Taken together, these sources reinforce a central SPARK message: even where headline mortality rates appear stable year-on-year, the level of exposure, distress, and perceived capability in the wider population remains highly material to prevention outcomes.
Global context: suicide is a major and preventable public health issue
Globally, suicide remains a leading cause of preventable death. The International Association for Suicide Prevention summarises an estimated 703,000 deaths by suicide worldwide each year (based on global estimates), and notes the disproportionate burden in low and middle income countries. The World Health Organization similarly emphasises that suicide is preventable and highlights elevated risk in groups experiencing discrimination and marginalisation, as well as the strong association with previous suicide attempts.
What this means for suicide prevention practice
The Autumn 2025 SPARK findings paint a nuanced picture. There are signs of stabilisation in self-reported health following earlier peaks, but suicidal thoughts remain common, exposure to suicide and self-harm is widespread, and confidence in recognising risk and accessing training is slipping.
For organisations commissioning, designing, or delivering suicide prevention activity, the implications are practical:
Build confidence, not just awareness The SPARK measures suggest a capability gap, particularly around recognising suicide risk and initiating direct conversations.
Treat exposure as a prevention and support issue A significant proportion of the population has direct exposure to suicide and self-harm, with substantial reported ripple effects. This elevates the importance of bereavement support, peer support, and trauma-informed responses.
Meet people where they are learning With indications that fewer people are learning via formal routes and more via online video, there is an opportunity to improve the quality, consistency, and reach of digital prevention content, without losing the depth of skills-based training.
Methodology note
Autumn 2025 SPARK data was collected online as part of M·E·L Research’s Research with a Purpose omnibus, with a sample of 1,506 UK adults aged 16+. Results were weighted to UK adult population targets (age, sex, region). Participants received a trigger warning and signposting to support.
If you would like more information about SPARK, or to request the data behind the report, M·E·L Research can provide further detail on the findings and trends.
Links to external sources referenced
Office for National Statistics (ONS) suicides bulletin (England and Wales, 2024 registrations)
M·E·L Research has been named the winner of the Award for Outstanding Contribution to Social Value & Ethical Research 2026 at the UK Enterprise Awards.
The award recognises the values that shape both the work we choose to undertake and the way we deliver it. From building trauma-informed practices into our research to improving inclusion and reinvesting in the communities around us, social responsibility is part of how we operate every day.
M·E·L Research joined the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) at the House of Lords this week for the launch of a new report exploring the experiences of dyslexic young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET).
Tamsin Maries, Senior Research Manager, and Elliot Simmonds, Commercial Manager, represented M·E·L Research at the event…
New UK-wide research from M·E·L Research’s SPARK report shows improving mental health indicators alongside continuing exposure to suicide, widespread lifetime suicidal thoughts and significant gaps in practical knowledge.
Suicide prevention depends on understanding not only how many people are affected, but also how confident the public feel about recognising risk, starting difficult conversations and finding appropriate support. The Spring 2026 SPARK report from M·E·L Research brings these issues together, providing a detailed picture of attitudes…
M·E·L Research is pleased to be supporting the Diocese of Manchester with an independent consultation to help inform its future leadership. The research will provide opportunities for people connected with diocesan life, as well as members of the wider community, to share their perspectives on the local context, priorities for the years ahead and the qualities that will be important in future leadership.
Across Europe, we have seen devastating wildfires destroy homes, habitats and communities. They offer us a powerful analogy for how we think about suicide prevention.
When a fire is raging, everything must be done to put it out. Firefighters, emergency services and communities mobilise to save lives. But even when the fire is eventually extinguished, enormous damage may already have been done, and recovery can take years. That is why fire services don’t only fight fires. They also invest in prevention: identifying risks, educating people, installing smoke alarms, creating fire breaks and trying to stop…
My son Jools was 14 years old when he died suddenly in April 2022. There was no note. There was no offline evidence that explained why he died. No one had seen or been aware of any adverse mental health issues, and at his original inquest the coroner could not be sure that Jools was in a suicidal mood. More than four years later, I am still trying to understand what happened to my son. Yet one enormous part of Jools’ life was not properly explored following his death: his digital world. Like almost every teenager, Jools had a life on his phone. Social…
Women’s sport is entering an important new phase, and we have been privileged to work with clients such as Kick It Out, WSL Football, Sport Wales and the Commonwealth Games, and witness and the experiences, impacts and drivers of this growth. Audiences are growing, competitions are evolving and sports organisations are exploring new ways to improve the matchday experience, deepen fan relationships and develop more sustainable commercial models. With that momentum comes significant opportunity, but it also raises important questions. As…
Fraud. AI-generated responses. Professional survey respondents. In recent years, these have become some of the most widely discussed topics within the research industry. As digital methodologies have evolved, so too have the challenges associated with maintaining confidence in the data we collect.
While our approach to managing data quality in social research must continue to evolve, confidence in research still depends on the same foundations: clear objectives, robust methodology, appropriate quality assurance, professional judgement and ultimately, impact.
