SiteKiln gives you plain-English information, not professional mental health advice. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call Samaritans on 116 123 (free, 24/7) or text SHOUT to 85258.
# It's OK to Not Be OK
Construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any occupation in the UK. That's not a slogan, it's a fact that's been getting worse, not better.
The Talking Tradesman
This page is supported by Russell Payne: painter and decorator, RDP Decorator of the Year 2025, and the voice behind The Talking Tradesman podcast.
Russ started The Talking Tradesman to do one thing: get people in the trades talking about mental health. The podcast brings together first-hand stories from people on the tools alongside mental health professionals, real conversations, not corporate awareness sessions.
He's been a driving force behind The Lost City campaign, works closely with Lighthouse Club, Samaritans, Mind and Band of Builders, and gives more of his time to this cause than most people will ever know. Decorator of the Year and he still finds time to make the industry a better place.
I've been a guest on the podcast. This isn't a sponsorship or a partnership, it's a cause I believe in personally. If you're in the trades, follow Russ. If you're struggling, listen to an episode. If you know someone who's not themselves, send them the link.
Russ is currently updating his site, when it's done it'll be a proper resource for mental health in the trades. You won't find mental health guides on SiteKiln because we're not the experts. But Russ has put those together from years of sitting down with guests who are. Check them out.
A word from Russ: "I started The Talking Tradesman because too many people in our industry are struggling in silence. For years, I didn't understand my own mindset or reactions, I just got on with it. Like most in the trades, you don't talk... until it catches up with you. This podcast is about changing that. Real conversations and a voice for real people. If you're struggling, you're not alone. And if you're not, check in on someone who might be. Because one conversation can change everything." , Russell Payne, The Talking Tradesman
Listen: thetalkingtradesman.co.uk | Spotify Follow: Instagram @the_talking_tradesman | RDP @rdppaintersanddecorators Merch (supports the cause): thetalkingtradesman.store
The numbers nobody talks about on site
Around two construction workers take their own lives every working day in England and Wales. In 2021, that was 507 people.
The suicide rate in construction rose from about 26 per 100,000 workers in 2015 to roughly 34 per 100,000 by 2021: a one-third increase in seven years. Male construction workers are now around 3.7 times more likely to die by suicide than the average worker in other industries.
Low-skilled construction labourers face about three times the suicide risk of the average male worker. Skilled trades, bricklayers, roofers, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, sit in the very highest risk group of any occupation in the country.
This isn't a blip. Construction has been at or near the top of male suicide risk rankings across every ONS occupation analysis from 2011 to 2022. The gap with other industries hasn't closed.
Why construction is different
It's not one thing. It's everything stacking up at once.
The work model is broken for wellbeing. CIS self-employment, short-term contracts, agency work and sub-contracting create unstable income, no sick pay, no guaranteed hours, and pressure to work through illness or injury because there's no safety net. Around a third of the construction workforce is self-employed, they absorb the most risk and get the least support.
The hours and the travel grind you down. Long shifts, early starts, long commutes or working away from home for weeks at a time. Fatigue, family strain and isolation are recognised suicide risk factors, and construction ticks all three.
Physical pain doesn't stay physical. Musculoskeletal problems, injuries and chronic pain are common in mid-career workers. Many work through it because they can't afford time off. Chronic pain is directly linked to depression and suicidal thoughts.
Financial pressure is constant. Unpredictable workloads, boom-bust cycles, late payments, debt. In a 2026 UK survey, about a third of tradespeople said construction work was actively harming their mental health, financial pressure and heavy workloads were the top reasons.
The culture hasn't caught up. Construction is heavily male, with deep norms of toughness and "getting on with it." Workers describe feeling like just a number. Stigma around talking about emotions is strong on site. A 2024 study found workers often interpreted their own distress as a personal failing and normalised heavy drinking as "part of the job."
Nobody's asking for help
The support exists. The problem is people aren't reaching it.
- 1 in 5 tradespeople say they wouldn't speak to anyone about their mental health
- 15% want help but don't know where to turn
- Fewer than 1 in 5 feel comfortable talking to their GP
- Over half of tradespeople aren't accessing any professional mental health support
- More than a third of self-employed workers in one survey admitted increasing alcohol use in response to mental distress. 17% reported using non-prescription drugs.
The barriers are the same ones that cause the problem: fear of being judged, fear of losing work, not knowing who to talk to, thinking it won't help, and the belief that stress is just part of the job.
Workers overwhelmingly prefer talking to a mate, a partner or a peer over any formal service. Mental Health First Aiders, the thing most large contractors have invested in, were the least likely option workers said they'd turn to.
What's being done
The good news is that people are fighting this. The bad news is that the support still doesn't reach everyone who needs it.
Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity
The biggest dedicated support service for UK construction. In 2024 they delivered around £5 million of charitable support to 5,695 families, a 29% increase on the year before. Their #MakeItVisible team visited 572 sites and engaged with over 28,000 workers. They directly intervened in 88 cases where someone was expressing suicidal thoughts.
24/7 helpline: 0345 605 1956 | Live chat at lighthouseclub.org
Mates in Mind
Working with over 700 organisations across construction. Their focus is culture change, getting firms to talk about mental health, training people to spot the signs, and breaking down the stigma. Their research on self-employed construction workers has been some of the most important work in the sector.
Band of Builders
A national construction charity providing practical, financial and wellbeing support. Their Big Brew campaign brings workers together over a cuppa to talk about mental health. They run a free text helpline and free counselling service open to anyone in the UK construction industry, including self-employed. Member of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance.
The Lost City
An On The Tools-led national campaign that visualises the roughly 7,000 UK construction workers who have died by suicide over the last decade as a "city" of hard hats placed across 10 UK cities. The campaign aims to raise £2.5 million to fund free therapy for tradespeople, delivered through Band of Builders and Construction Sport.
Construction Sport
Uses sport, football, golf, rugby, hiking, as a way to engage workers who'd never walk into a mental health workshop. Partners with employers to run events, and provides a 24/7 mental health platform through Mente. Through The Lost City, they'll help deliver funded therapy sessions to tradespeople nationally.
Andy's Man Club
Free peer-support talking groups for men, running every Monday at 7pm across the UK. No referral, no sign-up, just turn up. Not construction-specific, but heavily used by tradespeople.
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
National charity dedicated to preventing male suicide. Helpline and webchat open 5pm–midnight every day.
Helpline: 0800 58 58 58 | thecalmzone.net
Samaritans
Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Free to call from any phone. You don't have to be suicidal to call, they're there for anyone who's struggling.
Call: 116 123 (free) | Text: SHOUT to 85258 | samaritans.org
Mind
The UK's leading mental health charity. Information, advice and local services. Their infoline can help you find support near you.
Infoline: 0300 123 3393 | mind.org.uk
The gap that still exists
Large contractors are getting better. MHFAs on site went from 35% coverage in 2020 to 54% in 2024. More firms have policies, awareness events, one-to-ones with managers.
But if you're self-employed, a sole trader, or working for a small firm, which is most of the construction workforce, you're still largely on your own. The charities above are accessible to everyone, but formal employer-led support stops at the gate for most CIS workers and micro-businesses.
That's why pages like this exist. That's why Russ does what he does. And that's why if you're reading this and you're not OK, the single best thing you can do is talk to someone. Anyone. A mate, your partner, Samaritans, Lighthouse, whoever. Just don't sit with it on your own.
If you need help right now
| Service | Contact | When |
|---|---|---|
| Samaritans | 116 123 (free) | 24/7, every day |
| Lighthouse Club | 0345 605 1956 | 24/7 helpline + live chat |
| CALM | 0800 58 58 58 | 5pm–midnight, every day |
| Shout | Text SHOUT to 85258 | 24/7 text support |
| Andy's Man Club | Turn up, Monday 7pm | Free, no referral needed |
| Mind Infoline | 0300 123 3393 | Mon–Fri 9am–6pm |
| Band of Builders | Free text line + counselling | Via bandofbuilders.org |
You are not weak for struggling. You are not a burden for asking. And you are worth more than a hard hat on the ground.
Sources
- ONS suicide by occupation analyses, 2011–2022
- Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, 2024 Impact Report
- Mates in Mind / IES, Self-employed construction workers research, 2022–2025
- Public Health England, Suicide prevention: a profile of suicide in England, 2017
- CIOB, Mental health in construction survey, 2025
- PLOS ONE, Male construction workers' perceptions of mental ill-health, 2024
- British Safety Council, self-employed construction workers and occupational health
- IronmongeryDirect / Markel, UK trades mental health surveys, 2024–2026
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