Industry Journalist Urges Review of Construction Mental Health Code

An open letter to the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) calls for immediate suspension and independent review of the Joint Code of Practice on Mental Health in Construction.

The letter, published on 29 June 2026 by Andy Stevens, founder and CEO of The Build Network UK, argues that while the 140‑page code recognises a suicide rate in construction nearly four times the national average, it largely targets Tier 1 contractors, big clients and asset owners.

Stevens says the code “does almost nothing” for the parts of the workforce most exposed to risk: micro and small businesses and the self‑employed.

Over 99% of UK construction firms are SMEs, and 37% of workers are self‑employed, yet not a single case study in the document involves a business with fewer than fifty employees, he notes.

The letter demands four actions from the CLC: suspension of the code pending review; creation of a panel including SMEs, sole traders and self‑employed workers; full transparency over who wrote and funded the document; and a public response within 14 days.

Stevens, who discloses a suicide attempt, says workers “deserve better” than “silence” on mental health across the UK industry.