Extreme weather and suicide risk
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-12)

Some evidence suggests extreme weather can worsen suicidal thoughts in at-risk people. Extreme weather will happen more often and severely as the climate warms.

CCHS navigation menu: CCHS homepage (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-centre-for-climate-health-security)Topic: health impacts (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/health-impacts) Part of: Climate change and mental health (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/climate-change-and-mental-health)

Key resources on suicide risk from extreme weather:

Extreme weather and suicide risk

Overview of the climate change and mental health report (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/overview-of-the-climate-change-and-mental-health-report)

Climate change and mental health report (pdf) (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/climate-change-and-mental-health-report)

Additional resources:
- Suicides in England and Wales - Office for National Statistics (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2024registrations#suicides-attributable-to-extreme-heat) (see section 7 on suicides attributable to extreme heat)
Suicide risk from extreme weather events

Traumatic and stressful extreme weather events such as heatwaves (https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2024registrations#suicides-attributable-to-extreme-heat), floods, wildfires, and droughts may increase the risk of suicide, although the evidence is mixed.

The climate change and mental health report (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/climate-change-and-mental-health-report) looked at the relationship between extreme weather and suicide risk (see section 1.8). The confidence assessment notes that:
- heat events increase suicide risk (moderate confidence)
- drought increases suicide risk (low confidence because there is uncertainty as to whether more suicides during drought is actually the case or whether what is observed happened by chance)
- wildfires increase suicide risk (low confidence because only a small number of reviews reported on this)
- flooding events increase suicide risk (very low confidence because the findings from the evidence was mixed)
There is some evidence to suggest that the risks of suicide due to extreme weather stressors are not distributed evenly and that some population groups may be at higher risk including:
- people living in deprived areas
- people with mental health conditions
- people in rural or agricultural communities
There is limited UK-specific data on suicide and extreme weather, and few interventions have been evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing suicide risk.

Mental health support options

If you experience or witness a mental health emergency, call 999 or go to A&E immediately.

For urgent, non-emergency assistance use NHS 111 online (https://111.nhs.uk/triage/check-your-mental-health-symptoms) or call 111 and select the mental health option.

If you do not require support but are concerned about your mental health, contact your GP.

For non-urgent support (if you live in England and are registered with a GP):
- refer yourself for free to NHS talking therapies (https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/talking-therapies-medicine-treatments/talking-therapies-and-counselling/nhs-talking-therapies/)
- call the Samaritans on 116 123 or text “SHOUT” to 85258
- call Papyrus’s HOPELINE247 on xx-xxxx-xxxx or text xx-xxxx-xxxx (if you are under 35 and need crisis support)
- call Childline on 0800 1111 if you are a child under 19