Theresa May to announce new measures to tackle UK's increasing suicide rate

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Theresa May is to announce new measures to improve the care and support received by people suffering mental health problems.

The Prime Minister will set out help employers can give to workers and schools can give to pupils, while highlighting moves to reduce the number of UK suicides.

Downing Street sources told The Independent the new policy will form part of a broader speech with which Ms May hopes to push forward her drive to tackle social injustice, promised on her first day in office.

Speaking on the steps of No 10 in July, she listed shortcomings in mental health services as one of the “burning injustices” she wanted to address, saying she was aware that “if you suffer from mental health problems, there’s not enough help to hand”.

Among Monday’s expected measures are those that will show how firms can do more for staff forced to take time off work for mental health issues.

Downing Street has already been exploring teacher training reform to help school staff better spot signs a child is under strain, with bullying and the pressure from exams bearing down on them.

The Prime Minister is particularly expected to highlight the potentially damaging role social media can have on young people’s mental welfare.

Ms May’s push to force down the number of suicides, comes as it rose slightly from 6,122 deaths in 2014 to 6,188 deaths in 2015, with a subsequent increase in the rate from 10.8 to 10.9 deaths per 100,000 population.

While the increase in the suicide rate is a result of a rise in female suicides, the Office for National Statistics said that males still account for three quarters of all suicides.

The Samaritans in the UK can be contacted on 116 123