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​Healthy minds, healthy buildings: Why mental health must be a priority in construction

By Chris Elliott 2025-09-24T06:00:00

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Over the past 10 years, 7,000 lives have been lost to suicide in the construction sector. In the UK Parliament’s strategic estates team, we believe we have a duty to lead by example and do something about it.

The construction industry is the backbone of our built environment. It shapes the spaces where we live, work and govern. Yet there is a less visible crisis going on. Mental health in construction is not just a wellbeing issue; it is a matter of safety, productivity and culture.

The statistics are stark. Construction workers in the UK are four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. A recent Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) report found that 26% of construction workers have had suicidal thoughts, and only 56% say their employer has a mental health policy.

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