TEN KEY FACTS ABOUT MEN AND BOYS’ WELLBEING (UK)

The House of Commons Library has a briefing packed with statistics about the wellbeing of men and boys as part of the House of Commons’ International Men’s Day debate in 2022.

 The use of comparisons with women are for context reasons, it is not a competition between men and women.

 (1) Prostate Cancer

On average, c12,000 men (12,039) die from prostate cancer every year (2017-2018 average). This is 33 per day, one every 45 minutes) – the most recent figures available. Up from 11,307 in 2014. Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in males in the UK, accounting for 14% of all cancer deaths in males in the UK (2017-2019

 (2) Suicide

In 2021, 4,704 men in England, Wales and Scotland took their own lives. With 2020 figures from Northern Ireland (160), this means nearly 5,000 men per year lose their lives this way. This is the equivalent of 13 per day. Men make up 75% of all deaths by suicide and it is the biggest cause of male deaths under 50.

(3) Covid-19

99,914 men and 82,274 women died from Covid-19 between March 2020 and December 2022, with clear disparities based on age.

(4) University Entry

In September 2023: 33,900 fewer 18-year-old UK boys started university in September in 2022 –  118,230 men (43.7% of total) and 152,120 women (56.3%). 

 (5) GCSEs

52.7% of girls and 47% of boys got a grade 5 or above in GCSE English and maths in 21/22.

By 2019, boys have had worse exam results than girls for 30 years. 

 (6) Exclusions and NEETS

4,677 boys were excluded from school in 21/22  (72% of the total).

Over 400,000 men between 16-24 in Apr-June 23 were Not in Education Employment or Training

 (7) Rough Sleeping

2,539 men were found to be sleeping rough in Autumn 2022 in England. Men make up 85% of rough sleepers. 

(8) Prison

There are  90,000 men in prison – enough to fill Wembley Stadium. They make up 96% of the prison population.

 (9) Domestic Abuse

In 21/22, 699,000 men and 1.671 million women aged 16 and over were victims of domestic abuse in 2021/22.

 (10) Sexual Violence/Abuse

155,000 men were estimated to have been victims of sexual assault in 2019/20 (618,000 women) . 989,000 men in total have been a victim of sexual assault since they were 16. In addition, 7,000 men were raped or victims of attempted rape (132,000 women) in 2019/20. 87,000 men in total have been raped or been victims of rapes since they were 16.

Further information on a range of men and boys issues can be found on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Issues Affecting Men and Boys and Men and Boys Coalition.