Mental health crisis continues

New data from On The Tools shows nearly 70% of UK tradespeople have never had therapy, even though 14 construction workers die by suicide each week.

The latest TradeBrain monthly insight report, Silence is Deadly: Therapy & Construction, lays bare the continuing mental health crisis in the trades.

Drawing from survey responses across On The Tools’ eight million-strong online community, the data shows that therapy remains out of reach for many, with only three in 10 tradespeople admitting to ever having had it.

The research suggests this isn’t because support is unavailable, but because stigma continues to stop people from seeking help.

The report builds on findings from the 2023 Behind the High Vis whitepaper, which showed that while 85% of tradespeople felt therapy would support their mental health, structural and cultural barriers were still widespread.

Only 29.5% had access to free counselling, just 22.3% had time-off agreements in place to attend sessions, and a mere 6.28% had access to paid therapy through their employer, making support both practically and emotionally out of reach for many.

Lee Wilcox, co-founder and CEO of On The Tools, said: “When nearly 70% of an industry has never even tried therapy, the question isn’t just whether support is available, it’s whether people feel able to access it in the first place. The data in this report should serve as a wake-up call. It’s not enough for mental health support to exist, it has to be accepted and normalised within the community. That starts with breaking the stigma.

“For industry stakeholders, the message is clear: raising awareness is only the first step. Challenging outdated perceptions, encouraging open conversation, and reshaping the narrative around seeking help must follow.”

• The Lighthouse Charity provides information, resources and support to the construction industry in the UK and Ireland and offers a 24/7 service: constructionindustryhelpline.com
• Samaritans connects people in crisis to trained volunteers: samaritans.org
• You can also text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258 if you’re in need of urgent mental health support.