The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has launched a consultation on measures to address and improve mental health in the industry.
Construction workers are four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. In the past decade, 7,000 sector workers have taken their own lives, according to data published by On The Tools.
The CLC has set out mental health as one of its priority focus areas as part of its wider health, safety and wellbeing strategy.
The joint government-industry body held a series of focus groups across England with charity Mates in Mind and the University of Warwick to identify the root causes of poor mental health in construction.
The consultation, published today (24 September), details those causes and invites people across the industry to share their views on what can be done to eliminate or reduce them.
The CLC will then analyse the consultation’s results ahead of publishing an action plan in spring 2026, with supporting guidance from industry leaders and relevant organisations on how to address the root causes.
Construction’s ‘collective responsibility’
Mark Reynolds, CLC’s co-chair, said: “As leaders in the built environment and construction sector, we have a collective responsibility to our workforce to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of our people.
“By working in partnership and being ambitious, we can drive improvements in mental health across the sector, ensuring a positive working environment for our current and future workforce.
“Today’s consultation is a vital step in that journey, enabling us to bring together the views of industry in this space to inform our public spring 2026 action plan. I would encourage you to respond and give us your views.”
Share your views on mental health in construction here. The closing date for the consultation is 5 November.
Mental health support and advice for CIOB members, past members and related family is available through CIOB Assist. CIOB, in partnership with Anxiety UK, also provides wellbeing support.
The Lighthouse Charity offers 24/7 free and confidential support on all aspects of emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing.
24/7 helplines: 0345 605 1956 (UK) 1800 939 122 (ROI)
Text HARDHAT to 85258 (UK) or 50808 (ROI)
Live chat and more information: www.lighthousecharity.org
My experience, unfortunately, it is only a tick box exercise. I have been there multiple times, working on different sites with different teams, and in different positions, and is very sad to see, even the bigger players they all talk the talk. Really very sad when you can see on a man’s eyes that life is at the point of breaking and those who so loud talk about MH are the ones that put the targets ahead of anything else first.