Suicide - Illegal?

[Stav]

It is my understanding that commiting suicide is against the law. Obviously if you are succesful, you cannot be convicted, but are there any cases of people attempting suicide, failing, and then being arrested for it?

[WaldoMcFroog]

I'm pretty certain that it's no longer the case that suicide is illegal. It's (preposterously in my opinion) illegal to assist someone to commit suicide (but that's a separate moral and ethical issue in itself), but suicide itself has been decriminalised for a long time now.

[NickleArse]

It is not a criminal offence and therefore you cannot be arrested for trying. As far as I know it is still illegal though, so perhaps a civil case???

[xyzzyplugh]

..but you could be 'sectioned' i.e. imprisoned without trial or release date.

[sddsddean]

If I remember correctly, suicide is legal. Attempted suicide is illegal, as is assisting somone in suicide. The reason being, how can you take someone to court if they are dead.

[WendyW]

Suicide used to be illegal but the law was changed and it is now no longer a crime.

[gumbycat]

Suicide is certainly legal. You cannot be arrested or imprisoned for trying to take your own life for the very good reason that it is your own life and up to you what you do with it. However if you try to kill yourself, fail and are taken to hospital you will almost certainly be sectioned under the mental health act, for a limited time period while doctors try to "make you better". Sections are rarely indefinate lengths of time. The shortest is 72 hours, the longest is a year, however the psychatrists will review your progress during this time and can extend it. You can only be held indefinately under the mental health act if you are criminally insane - ie you are a danger to others. Generally, suicidal people are only dangerous to themselves!

[gmc2002]

... and this question is in the "how it works" section ... ?