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LGB+ people are much more likely to die by taking their own lives, drug overdoses and alcohol-related disease than their straight counterparts, the first official figures of their kind show.
The 2021 census in England and Wales asked people aged 16 and above about their sexual orientation for the first time. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has now analysed differences in causes of mortality from March 2021 to November 2024. The ONS research uses the acronym LGB+ rather than LGBTQ+.
It found that people who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or “other” sexual orientation had 1.3 times the risk of dying than those identifying as straight or heterosexual. The age-standardised rate of death from any cause was 982.8 for each 100,000 people for LGB+ people compared with 752.6 for each 100,000 people for straight or heterosexual people, the ONS said.
While the leading cause of death for all people was coronary heart disease, the second most common cause of death for LGB+ people was taking their own lives, accounting for 7.1% of all deaths.
Younger LGB+ people were nearly twice as likely to take their own lives than straight people, the analysis shows. Nearly half (45.3%) of deaths among LGB+ 16- to 24-year-olds and more than one quarter (29.6%) of deaths among LGB+ 25-34-year-olds were caused by people taking their own lives. This compares with 26.6% of straight 16- to 24-year-olds and 18.4% of straight or heterosexual 25- to 34-year-olds.
The figures also showed that the risk of dying from drug poisoning was 2.8 times higher for LGB+ people than those identifying as straight, and 1.8 times higher from alcohol-related causes.
Dr Emma Sharland, at the ONS, said: “This is the first time we have looked at differences in causes of death among adults by sexual orientation.
“There are some noticeable differences, with nearly three times as many drug poisoning deaths and close to twice as many alcohol-related deaths among the LGB+ group compared with the straight or heterosexual group.
“While this analysis does not explore causality, we hope this data will help inform health professionals and others working with different population groups.”
Mark Winstanley, the chief executive of the charity Rethink Mental Illness, said: “It is deeply concerning that the data shows suicide is the second leading cause of death among LGB+ people. The causes of suicide are complex, but we know that LGBTQ+ people face discrimination in many areas of their lives and encounter harassment, from physical attacks to online hatred.
“Many organisations play an invaluable role in providing specialised support for LGBTQ+ people because of the stigma in traditional services, and we need to ensure they have continued funding in the current challenging economic environment.
“Today’s data reinforces the urgent need to address the risk factors that LGBTQ+ people face, as well as ensuring that mental health services are available and accessible for this group.”
