We welcome the launch of England’s first Men’s Health Strategy today and the government’s recognition of the urgent need to address the physical and mental health challenges men and boys face. They continue to face unique barriers to seeking help, and this strategy’s focus on early intervention, stigma reduction, and investment is a positive step forward. 

The commitment builds on the expansion of mental health teams in schools, ensuring a further 900,000 pupils have access to support by April 2026. We are also pleased to see that there will be a £3.6 million investment in suicide-prevention projects for middle-aged men, to break down stigma and improve awareness of available support. Crucially, these initiatives will be co-designed with experts and men with lived experience, helping ensure that services are relevant, accessible, and effective. 

We know that men can be less likely to seek support, are more likely to smoke, drink, gamble, and use drugs, and that suicide remains one of the leading causes of death for men under 50. This strategy has the potential to help men and boys live longer, healthier lives, reflecting what our members working in men’s mental health see every day: the need for tailored, compassionate, and community-based care and support.

While we welcome this strategy, it is important to acknowledge the deep and persistent inequalities shaping men’s health outcomes. As highlighted in the report:

“Men in deprived areas die 10 years earlier and spend 19 fewer years in good health compared to wealthier men.”

These are the inequalities we have long campaigned to reduce, including through our work with the Race Equality Foundation and NHS England. Our report about Tackling Inequalities, sets out practical recommendations to address these disparities.

Alongside this, our workforce and service mapping tool offers clear routes for systems to strengthen support for men’s mental health, including:

• Embedding digital health tools, already widely used by our members, to provide discreet, flexible, and stigma-free mental health support.

• Improving men’s engagement with NHS mental health services by ensuring they are designed to be approachable and responsive.

• Expanding community-based support so men can access help earlier and outside hospital settings.

As a national voice for VCFSE mental health service providers, we look forward to working with the government and partners to ensure this strategy translates into meaningful, long-term improvements in men’s mental health.