Poverty and Suicide in Scotland

We invite you to take part in a panel discussion and ‘blackout poetry’ workshop on poverty and suicide in Scotland. The panel will include speakers from Samaritans Scotland, the delivery team of Scotland’s suicide prevention strategy (Creating Hope Together), the Discovering Liveability project, and more. Following this, we will collectively create poems from political texts to think about what can be done to make life more liveable.

Suicide is a social issue that is deeply shaped by poverty, inequality, state policy and the cost-of-living crisis. In the lead-up to the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2026, Samaritans Scotland and the Poverty Alliance called for manifesto commitments on a minimum income guarantee, welfare and benefit reform, and wider cost-of-living measures as important parts of a serious approach to suicide prevention.

Now that the May elections are over, this event asks: what are the next steps in tackling poverty as suicide prevention? What policies could make the biggest difference to people experiencing financial insecurity? And how can research, campaigning and lived experience shape what happens next?

Join us to hear from people working across policy, research and suicide prevention, share your own perspective, and explore these questions through discussion and creative practice.

The Discovering Liveability project is fully funded by Wellcome, whilst this event is funded by ESRC as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

Dr Thomas Wadsworth, Research Fellow (Discovering Liveability), School of Health in Social Science

all

Any member of the public interested in anti-poverty policy, suicide, and suicide prevention.

Any professional interested in anti-poverty policy, suicide, and suicide prevention – such as those working in third sector mental health organisations or policy roles.

free and open to all