More than four in five (82%) UK tradespeople experience mental health problems due to work-related issues, research by IronmongeryDirect has revealed.
It found that more than half (56%) of tradespeople experience some form of mental health problem, such as stress, anxiety or depression, every month, and sadly, more than a quarter (27%) feel symptoms every single week.
The ongoing Cost of Living crisis is the leading cause of stress, with more than a third (34%) saying it’s affecting their mental health, but this has also dropped slightly compared to the 2023 report (39%).
Denise Kent, chief executive at Basildon Mind, said: “One of the survey results that stood out to us was that so many workers, 9 out of 10, didn’t know that our local Mind, and the other 103 local Minds all over the country, are here to provide the support, respect and help for everyone experiencing a mental health issue.
“It shows that the battle continues for Mental Health Awareness, and we urge everyone to join the fight so that there is a future where everyone can get quality mental health care when they need it.”
Unfortunately, despite the benefits of doing so, almost nine in ten (88%) tradespeople don’t feel comfortable talking to others about their feelings. Just one in ten (10%) have spoken to friends or family about their mental health over the last year, which is down from previous studies (17%).
Furthermore, 7% of workers worry what their colleagues would think if they told them what they were going through, and more than a quarter (26%) feel they can’t take time off work for mental health reasons.
Bricklayers are the most likely tradespeople to feel stressed or anxious on a daily basis (35%), but overall, mental health problems are most common amongst Joiners. Almost all of those surveyed (92%) say they have experienced issues.
