Construction’s silent mental health crisis
Male construction workers are three times more likely to die by suicide than the national UK average.
The construction industry is male-dominated, and poor mental health within the sector remains a silent crisis. In England and Wales, a provisional number by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that 355 people working in skilled construction and building trades died by suicide in 2024.
This shocking statistic is one of many that must be overturned for the sake of those working in the construction sector, their families, their friends, their colleagues and wider society.
A new Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) report, Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025, shows an alarming number of people working in the sector struggle with their mental health, including the 28 per cent of respondents to a CIOB survey* who revealed they have experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year. Sadly, workers in construction are less inclined to reach out for help and instead will often suffer in silence until the problem is too much to handle.
On a more positive note, however, the number of mental health support services available to construction workers in the workplace has drastically increased in the last five years. CIOB’s report reveals more than three-quarters of workers* had been encouraged to get involved in support events like Mental Health Awareness Week, and more than half of the people surveyed said they had access to a mental health first aider at work if they needed help. Clearly, though, more needs to be done.
Worryingly, there remains a significant number of people working in the industry living with mental ill-health, including high levels of anxiety, fatigue, and thoughts about suicide.
Nearly one in four people (24 per cent) working in the industry have experienced stress daily over the past year, 20 per cent have experienced daily fatigue, most likely due to long working hours to meet looming deadlines, and more than a quarter have felt suicidal at least once over the past year.
Several factors are commonplace in the construction industry that could cause higher levels of stress or contribute towards poor wellbeing if not managed appropriately. These include:
- Limited-term contracts
- Financial pressures, including late payments from clients
- Long hours
- Lengthy commutes
- Time away from family
- Pressure to complete work on time and within budget
- The ‘macho’ culture that exists within the industry and the lack of diversity within companies
- Uncertainty over the pipeline of work
We now see growing economic pressures in the UK, which will undoubtedly have an impact on the industry. For example, the Building Cost Information Service has predicted construction costs will rise by 17 per cent over the next five years. UK businesses are also facing increases in the minimum wage and National Insurance contributions, which are resulting in increased costs and potentially leading to a spike in the number of insolvencies. This will no doubt add to the pressure for firms across the supply chain and, if redundancies are made, those who are already struggling with their mental health will be hugely affected – both at an employer and employee level.
Meanwhile, the UK government has committed to building 1.5m homes, which will require an increase in the number of people entering, being trained and retained within the sector to deliver that target. However, with so many workers in the industry struggling with their mental health and wellbeing, as well as a quarter of young people considering leaving, government and industry must take action to make it a better and safer place to work.
In an ideal world, nobody working in construction would experience any mental wellbeing concerns at all. While that vision might be slightly unrealistic, CIOB believes there is still far more the industry and government can do, and its report includes several recommendations for both.
Recommendations to the UK government include reducing the financial stress on small businesses by reviewing the Fair Payment Code and considering whether this should be made mandatory for large contractors to stick to. We would suggest starting with clients and Tier 1 contractors who already have financial mechanisms and processes in place and then, over time, expanding this to the whole construction supply chain.
The latest research by the Building Engineering Business Survey revealed 76 per cent of private sector clients and 49 per cent of public sector clients paid their contractors later than 30 days after work was completed, with 40 per cent of their respondents reporting that 2.5-10 per cent of their turnover was tied up in retentions. As a result of late payments, business owners are put under pressure, and many will have to make sacrifices, either by not paying themselves or making redundancies.
As public sector clients, national, regional and local governments can lead by example and ensure mental wellbeing and social value is embedded during the design and procurement process and demonstrate best practice through adhering to the Fair Payment Code themselves by paying 95 per cent of invoices within 30 days, which is the gold standard.
CIOB has also called for an update to the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England – drawing experience from Australia’s successful strategy – and targets to be put in place to measure its progress. CIOB has also recommended government ensure its Men’s Health Strategy has sufficient focus on mental health in high-risk sectors such as construction to ensure initiatives are appropriate and achieve the outcomes intended.
The CIOB report also includes recommendations for construction industry employers on how they can better support the mental health of their employees and supply chains, several of which require little to no financial investment and can be implemented by companies of all sizes.
In summary, tackling the silent mental health crisis construction workers face requires commitment and sustained action from both the industry itself and government. By prioritising fair payment practices, promoting inclusive workplaces and providing better access to mental health support – as well as learning from successful international strategies – we can transform the industry into one in which its workers thrive. With proper leadership and investment, the construction industry can be a safer and more supportive environment for those who currently work in it as well as future generations.
* CIOB survey of 865 people working in the construction industry. Of those respondents, 753 were from the UK.
