by Mark Brooks (Director of Policy and Communications, Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys)
10 June 2025
During Men’s Health Week, it is important to highlight that the health statistics for men in the UK are stark, and ten are listed below, all featured in our Missing Men report.
The overall conclusion with respect to men’s health is in a worse place now than it was before the pandemic. A new tranche of 2024 figures are due soon to see whether there has been a turn around.
It is why the call for evidence by the Government – both qualitative and quantitative – from men, women, organisations, employers, researchers, think tanks, academics and others – is crucial.
It is a once in a generation opportunity to build a Men’s Health Strategy that is rigorously evidence-based. We were on a positive working group call with the Government Minister for Public Health last week where this was reiterated.
There a number of things everyone can do for Men’s Health Week such as check in on your own health, and the health of others – AND please do submit to this call for evidence.
Ten Key Facts on Men’s Health:
(1) One in five males (18.8%) in England and Wales dies before they are 65.
(2) The suicide rate for men in England was 17.1 per 100,000 men – over 11 men every day – the highest rate this century. In the UK as a whole, 14 men every day die by suicide.
(3) The 2023 male mortality rate in England (1,134 per 100,000 males) and Wales (1,237 per 100,000) was higher than in 2019 (1,089 for England and 1,187 in Wales).
(4) The 2023 male cancer mortality rate for England (133 per 100,000 males) which equates to 87 men every day, was lower than in 2019 (141 per 100,000) which equates to 91 per day.
(5) The 2023 prostate cancer mortality rate in England (44 per 100,000 males) was lower than in 2019 (46 per 100,000 males). In the UK as a whole, 33 men every day of prostate cancer.
(6) The 2023 male cardiovascular disease (heart and circulation) mortality rate in England (109 per 100,000 males) was higher than in 2019 (97 per 100,000). An increase from 63 deaths per day in 2019, to 72 in 2023.
(7) The 2023 male alcohol-specific mortality rate for the UK in 2023 (22 per 100,000 males) was higher than in 2019 (16 per 100,000). An increase from 14 deaths per day in 2019, to 19 in 2023. Scotland has the highest morality rate with (32 deaths per 100,000) England has the lowest of the four nations (21 per 100,000).
(8) In 2023/24, 131 men lost their lives due to a fatal work related injury (0.76 per 100,000 males) compared to 142 in 2018/19 (0.83 per 100,000).
(9) In 2023, 6% of men in England said they were often or always lonely, the same percentage as in 2019.
(10) In 2024, 3,858 men were sleeping rough in England, compared to 3,534 in 2019.