Mental health organisations are concerned over the loss to support services for young people in crisis of a youth suicide prevention charity that announced its sudden closure earlier this week.

Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide announced it had appointed administrators amid reduced funding and increased costs with the loss of more than 120 jobs.

Helplines Partnership, which represents the UK support line sector, is particularly concerned by the loss to the mental health sector of the HOPELINE247 helpline that was run by Papyrus and supported young people experiencing suicidal thoughts.

It warns that this support service closes at a time of heightened demand, having recorded more than 40,000 contacts in the 12 months to March 2025, double the previous year.

The Partnership also points out that Papyrus had trained more than 4,400 people in suicide prevention across England and had maintained a permanent presence in online student community The Student Room.

"PAPYRUS was a high-quality helpline by the standards against which we assess our members — with rigorous safeguarding, skilled and empathic advisors, and a service reaching more people, in more ways, every year,” said Helplines Partnership director of operations Gemma Khairi.

"Its situation is not evidence that the service was no longer needed. The data shows the opposite: demand for HOPELINE247 more than doubled in a single year.

"We are deeply saddened for everyone affected by this news — the people who relied on HOPELINE247, and the staff and volunteers who delivered that support with such skill and care”.

She added: "This should be a wake-up call for funders, commissioners and government about the fragility of the infrastructure that helps keep people safe.

“Helplines are essential public infrastructure, not a discretionary service, and they need sustainable funding to meet the growing demand for their support."

'Frightening and upsetting'

Also concerned by the collapse of Papyrus is mental health charity Mysterious Minds which said “we honestly cannot put into words how frightening and upsetting this is”.

It added: “And at a time when the need for suicide prevention and mental-health support remains enormous, we are losing a service specifically dedicated to keeping young people alive.

“How have we reached a point where organisations doing this work are struggling to survive financially? Suicide prevention cannot be treated as an optional extra. These services aren’t luxuries. They save lives.

“Our hearts also go out to every member of PAPYRUS staff, every volunteer, fundraiser and supporter who has given so much over almost three decades—and especially to every vulnerable young person or frightened parent wondering where they turn now.”

Meanwhile, Mental Health First Aid England said: “For decades, Papyrus has been a vital source of support for young people experiencing thoughts of suicide, as well as the people supporting them.

“The loss of this service will be felt deeply across the suicide prevention sector, not only by the people who relied on Papyrus, but also by those who worked tirelessly to support them.”

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