Statistics about young adults

According to the 2001 Census, there are 7,159,694 16-25 years-olds in the UK. This amounts to 12% of the UK’s population.^{1 2 3} 2,909,760 or about 5% of the total UK population are between 16-19 years-old and 4,249 934 or about 7% of the total UK population are aged between 20-25 years-old. ^{1 2 3}

Mental health problems

• 1.7% of 16-19 year-olds, and 2.2% of 20-24 year-olds, or about 127,000 have suffered from a depressive episode.⁴

• 13.3% of 16-19 year olds, and 15.8% 20-24 year olds in Great Britain are reported to suffer from a neurotic disorder.⁴

• About 0.2% of 16-24 year olds have a probable psychotic disorder. ⁴

• 0.9% of 16-19 year-olds and 1.9% of 20-24 year-olds suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.⁴

• 3.4% of 16-34 year-olds have been diagnosed with a personality disorder. ⁴

• The suicide rate in the UK among 15-24 year olds in 2004 was 11.9 per 100,000 in young men, and 3.6 per 100,000 in young women.

• Overall the suicide rate has fallen from the peak in 1998 of 18.1 per 100,000 in young men, and 4.5 per 100,000 in young women.⁵

• In England and Wales during 2003, accidents of any kind were the main cause of death in young men aged between 15-34, and suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent was the second.

• In 2003 1,075 young men aged 15-34, and 273 young women of the same age range died as a result of committing suicide/poisoning of undetermined intent.⁶

• Suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent was the third highest cause of death in young women aged 15-34 years.⁶

• In 1998-2004 the suicide rate for young men aged 15-44 in England was 19.1 per 100,000 population. The suicide rate of young men of the same age group in Scotland was 36.9, which is almost double that of England.⁷