Britain’s secret despair: how inequality is driving suicide
New report warns that Britain’s spiralling wealth gap is pushing thousands to the brink, linking soaring suicide rates to a society increasingly divided between the ultra-rich and everyone else
A shocking new report from the Fairness Foundation has laid bare a devastating truth: Britain’s astronomical wealth inequality is quietly killing its most vulnerable people. The study, titled Unliveable, argues that the yawning divide between the ultra-rich and everyone else is not just unfair—it may be driving up suicide rates.
In 2023–24, some 7,055 people died by suicide across the UK—the highest number recorded since the late 1990s. What the report contends is truly alarming: that such despair does not arise purely from mental illness, but from a social and economic system that is simply “unliveable” for many.
A chasm of wealth—and despair
At the heart of the report is a brutal statistic: the absolute wealth gap between Britain’s richest and poorest is a staggering £11.5 trillion, second only to the United States among OECD nations. This isn’t just about the rich being richer—it’s about the rest of society being left behind, with little hope, dignity, or opportunity.
Such inequality poisons the very fabric of people’s lives. It erodes social cohesion, increases isolation, and dramatically reduces the mental and physical health of those without means. For those in deep economic precarity, daily life becomes a relentless struggle—a psychological burden that pushes people into “defeat” and “entrapment,” key drivers of suicidal ideation.
A dangerous oversight in suicide prevention
Yet, despite these grim realities, national suicide prevention policies largely ignore the elephant in the room: wealth inequality. While official strategies emphasise mental health services, crisis lines, and early intervention, they rarely confront the structural issue—that poverty and unequal distribution of wealth may be laying the groundwork for despair.
Using the Integrated Motivational Volitional (IMV) model—a leading framework for understanding suicidal behaviour—the report demonstrates how inequality amplifies risk at every stage, from background factors to intention formation, to enaction. Even political barriers make matters worse: those with little wealth are less likely to have their voices heard, while the very rich can influence policy to protect their status.
The myth that’s killing us
Perhaps most disturbing of all is the report’s critique of meritocracy. In Britain, we tell ourselves that anyone can “make it” if they just work hard enough. But Unliveable warns that this narrative is toxic—it shames those who struggle, making them feel like failures rather than victims of a rigged system. It fosters a culture of blame, where the suffering caused by extreme inequality is masked as personal weakness.
What must be done
The researchers call on the government to radically rethink its approach: rewriting suicide prevention strategies to explicitly address wealth disparities; taxing extreme wealth; building social safety nets; and challenging the meritocratic myth that traps so many in silent shame.
This is not just about redistribution—it’s about saving lives. If the UK is serious about tackling its suicide crisis, it must start looking beyond counselling rooms and into its own economic system and start building Our Fair Future for everyone.
Resources
If you feel in need of help, consider the following support resources:
The Samaritans: call 116 123 (24/7) or email jo@samaritans.org
National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK: call 0800 689 5652 (between 6pm and midnight every day)
Mind Support line: call 0300 102 1234 (between 9am and 6pm, Monday to Friday)
Shout: text SHOUT to 8528 (24/7)
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide: call 0300 111 5065 (between 9am and 7pm every day) or email email.support@uksobs.org
For more information, you can visit the NHS emergency mental health services webpage if you need help immediately, go to A&E, or book an emergency appointment with your GP.