The Numbers We Can't Ignore

Construction is one of the most demanding industries in the UK. Long hours, physical strain, financial pressure, time away from family these are everyday realities for the people who build and maintain Britain's infrastructure. Yet for too long, the conversation around mental health in construction has been missing from the industry's agenda.

This Mental Health Awareness Week, we're putting the facts front and centre. Because the numbers tell a story that deserves to be heard.

The Scale of the Problem

The statistics from recent research are significant. According to the Chartered Institute of Building's Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 report the most comprehensive update to industry data in five years the mental health crisis in construction is widespread:

• 94% of construction workers experienced stress in the past year

• 83% experienced anxiety

• 60% experienced depression

  
  

These aren't isolated cases. They represent the majority of the UK's construction workforce, working across sites, offices, and supply chains every single day.

In 2024/25, stress, anxiety, and depression accounted for 52% of all work-related ill-health in the UK, resulting in 22.1 million working days lost (HSE). The cost to businesses is estimated at £56 billion annually (Deloitte UK).

Suicide: The Industry's Silent Crisis

The most urgent dimension of this issue is suicide. The Office for National Statistics reports that 355 people working in skilled construction and building trades died by suicide in 2024 one of the highest figures of any industry in the UK.

Male construction workers are three times more likely to die by suicide than those working in other sectors. Perhaps most starkly, construction workers are six times more likely to die from mental health-related causes than from a fall on site yet site safety receives far greater attention and resource.

These are not statistics to scroll past. Behind each number is a person, a family, and a team of colleagues left behind.

Why Construction Workers Struggle to Speak Up

Understanding the scale of the problem is one thing. Understanding why it persists is another.

The construction industry has long carried a culture that discourages vulnerability. Research from St John Ambulance (2025) found that:

• 39% of construction workers would rather quit their job than tell someone they were struggling

• 48% believe they would lose the trust and respect of colleagues if they didn't put on a brave face

• 71% have given a false reason for taking time off due to poor mental health

  
  

The CIOB's 2025 report reinforces this: 28% of respondents had experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year, yet nearly one in five said they didn't feel confident approaching a colleague they suspected was struggling.

The barriers are clear stigma, silence, and a workplace culture that has historically treated mental health as a weakness rather than a health issue.

Signs of Progress

It would be wrong to paint an entirely bleak picture. Awareness is growing and attitudes are beginning to shift.

Knowledge of mental health awareness initiatives within the industry has risen from 26% in 2020 to 77% in 2025, according to MHFA England.

More organisations are investing in trained Mental Health First Aiders, and access to confidential helplines has improved particularly among larger contractors.

Charities like Mates in Mind continue to do vital work, empowering businesses across the UK to address mental health stigma and embed a culture of support. The HSE has also increased its focus on mental health as a workplace health and safety priority, reminding employers of their legal duty to prevent work-related stress.

Progress is being made. But the gap between awareness and action — particularly among SMEs and the self-employed remains significant.

What Needs to Change

Fixing the mental health crisis in construction is not the responsibility of individuals alone. It requires action at every level from site managers and HR teams to industry bodies, clients, and government.

Some practical steps that make a genuine difference:

• Training — investing in Mental Health First Aid training so workers have someone trained to turn to

• Culture — actively challenging the 'macho' culture that discourages people from asking for help

• Policy — ensuring businesses of all sizes have a clear mental health policy in place (currently only 56% do)

• Visibility — normalising conversations about mental health on site and in the office, not just during awareness weeks

  
  

Our Commitment at Carmichael UK

At Carmichael UK, the wellbeing of the people we work with matters to us not just during Mental Health Awareness Week, but throughout the year. We work across civil engineering, infrastructure, and construction recruitment, and we understand the pressures that come with working in this industry.

If you're working with us and you're struggling, please don't suffer in silence. Support is available.

Where to Get Help

• Mates in Mind: matesinmind.org

• Samaritans: 116 123 (free, 24/7)

• Construction Industry Helpline: 0345 605 1956

• Mind: mind.org.uk

Sources: CIOB Understanding Mental Health in the Built Environment 2025 | ONS 2024 | HSE 2024/25 | St John Ambulance 2025 | MHFA England 2025 | Deloitte UK