Mind Your Head week to focus on preventing rural suicides

With farmer wellbeing slumping to a four-year low, farm safety campaigners are stepping up efforts to tackle the disproportionately high suicide risk in UK agriculture.

Launching the ninth Mind Your Head week on Monday 9 February, Farm Safety Foundation manager Stephanie Berkeley pointed to the limited progress made in recent years in suicide prevention.

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Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 47 suicides were registered in 2024 within the agricultural industry in England and Wales, a 7% increase from 2022.

“While agriculture in the UK benefits from rural support groups and charities who deliver vital, high-quality support, a critical gap remains: there is still very little suicide prevention training tailored specifically for those working in agriculture,” Ms Berkeley said.

“Conversations about suicide in rural communities require approaches that are real, relatable and rooted in lived experience.

“Without training designed for the realities of agricultural life, we risk leaving those most vulnerable without the tools they need to recognise warning signs and intervene effectively.”

Declining wellbeing

Her comments come as research by the Farm Safety Foundation highlights the declining sense of wellbeing within farming communities, which lags the national average and has hit a four-year low.

Using the well-established Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the research also shows that the steepest decline is among farmers over the age of 61 – “historically the most resilient group”.

Ms Berkeley said it was important not to leave it too late to ask for help.

“The message this year is simple: learn the steps, start conversations earlier, and look out for each other. When communities know what to say and what to do, lives can be saved.”

Stories and training 

As part of the campaign, the Farm Safety Foundation plans to share the stories of real people who have suffered the impact of suicides during the week, and will release a new “hero” film delivering a message of hope.

It will also be launching a suicide awareness and prevention eLearning module, funded by the Royal Foundation and developed with Baton of Hope, tailored specifically to a farming audience.

Built on best practice and practical scenarios, the course will equip learners to recognise warning signs, use supportive, non-judgmental language, and create simple safety plans – with clear signposting to the specialist help available in the sector.

For more information on the Mind Your Head campaign visit www.yellowwellies.org or follow them on social media: @yellowwelliesUK using the hashtag #MindYourHead.