Remote Working – A new Arena for Health Inequalities?

Ways of working have changed significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Over a quarter of workers (28%) in the UK were hybrid workers between January and March 2023, an increase from just 8% in May 2020.[1] Whilst working from home has offered benefits such as increased flexibility and improved work-life balance, there are also negative impacts to this mode of working, including poor health outcomes such as musculoskeletal pains, eye strain, and poor mental health, ultimately contributing to health inequalities amongst the working age population.[2] Employment among people with work-limiting mental health conditions has risen sharply, from 21.8% in 2013 to 41.1% in 2023, particularly among 16–34-year-olds, reflecting that a growing proportion of the workforce is now managing mental health conditions while in work.[3] Whilst this may partly reflect greater reporting of less severe mental health conditions,[4] as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic increasing poor mental health,[5] the trend highlights the importance of supporting mental health in the workplace as hybrid and remote working remain commonplace across UK organisations.[6]

From a health inequalities perspective, remote working presents a complex picture. Traditionally, health inequalities are more pronounced among those in lower socio-economic groups, who are more likely to experience insecure employment, poorer working conditions, and limited access to health resources.[7] However, opportunities for home or hybrid working are disproportionately concentrated in higher socio-economic and professional occupations, while manual and service-based roles, such as cleaning, construction, driving, or high street retail, typically cannot be performed remotely.[8] This suggests that remote working may represent something of an exception: the health risks associated with remote and hybrid work (e.g. loneliness, isolation, and musculoskeletal strain) are primarily concentrated among relatively more advantaged occupational groups.

Research consistently highlights that remote and hybrid working can increase risks of social isolation and loneliness. However, evidence also suggests important nuances: hybrid workers, who spend some time in the office, tend to report lower levels of loneliness than those working fully remotely.[9] Furthermore, while some studies link remote work with higher risks of anxiety, burnout, and depression,[10] others point to potential benefits such as reduced exposure to workplace bullying or microaggressions.[11] This indicates that the association between remote working and poor mental health is not straightforward.

The extent to which loneliness is felt may also depend on wider circumstances. Workers who joined an organisation remotely, without opportunities to build friendships or learn organisational culture in person, may be more vulnerable to isolation compared with colleagues who shifted to remote work after establishing networks.[12] Evidence from UK surveys indicates that younger adults (16–34 years) are significantly more likely to report chronic loneliness than older age groups, with being single or living alone also emerging as a strong risk factor in these studies.[13] Therefore, there is a possibility of an uneven remote working experience, where older staff with family support may feel less loneliness compared with younger, single workers who lack these protective networks.

These emerging risks indicate that, while remote working may not deepen traditional socio-economic divides in the same way as other workplace factors, it introduces new inequalities that still require policy and organisational attention.

 

Implications for The ‘Male Loneliness Epidemic’

The conversation around loneliness and mental health has increased, particularly following the WHO declaring it a global public health concern,[14] and its impact on health being comparable to the risks of smoking 15 cigarettes a day.[15] Within recent years, there has been an emerging focus on the impact loneliness is having on men. Often dubbed the “male loneliness epidemic”, this concern highlights men’s heightened risk of social isolation and disconnection, reinforced by stigma around help-seeking and reflected in their disproportionate rates of suicide compared with women, which is partly due to men tending to use more lethal methods, reducing the likelihood of successful intervention.[16][17] Franklin et al. (2019) note that there is a gendered account of loneliness whereby men’s ‘belongingness’ is characterised by participation in social realms, including the workplace, whereas women find belonging amongst family and friendship networks.[18]  Remote working disrupts opportunities for socialisation such as shared breaks, informal conversations, and after-work hang outs, which is potentially a contributing factor towards male loneliness.

Workplace research emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic has examined the impact of remote working on mental well-being, though few studies have taken a gendered perspective. The majority of this research has examined loneliness in a general sense or focused on the compounded pressures faced by women who assumed responsibilities for childcare and domestic work whilst working from home.[19][20][21] Studies that have looked at male loneliness suggest a clear relationship with remote work: among 2,363 Japanese desk workers during the pandemic, 53.4% of men working remotely reported loneliness compared to 35.9% of non-remote workers, [22] while research on Norwegian remote workers during COVID-19 found a positive correlation between gender and loneliness, indicating men were lonelier than women.[23]

Although these studies were conducted under strict lockdowns, recent evidence indicates the issue persists beyond pandemic conditions. A 2023 US survey found 53% of male remote workers reported feeling lonely, compared to 39% of women,[24] and another post-pandemic US study reported men were twice as likely as women to feel “very lonely” at work, with remote and hybrid arrangements continuing to exacerbate social isolation.[25]

 

The Mental Health Costs of Remote Work

Reviewing this research further reveals that loneliness amongst remote workers is more present within ‘Generation Y’, which is typically those between 29 and 44 years old.[26] Separately, evidence shows that poor mental health has risen significantly as a work-limiting condition, particularly amongst younger adults aged 16–34.[27] While these are not identical groups, the overlap among younger members of Generation Y suggests that men in early to mid-career may face compounded risks of both loneliness and poor mental health. This is important to note as Generation Y represents the most significant percentage of hybrid workers in the UK (36%), often occupying early- to mid-career roles that are critical for organisational productivity, leadership pipelines, and economic contribution.[28] Deloitte estimates that poor employee mental health costs UK employers £51 billion per year,[29] with loneliness itself being estimated to cost UK employers £2.5 billion each year due to the impact on health, wellbeing, and productivity.[30] If left unaddressed, rising loneliness and poor mental health for men between 29-44 years old may not only exacerbate existing health inequalities but also impact organisational sustainability and broader public health.

 

Addressing Male Loneliness inside and outside the Workplace

Not all contexts show equally high levels of loneliness among men in hybrid or remote work. Evidence from Northern European countries, particularly the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden, indicates lower levels among mid-life adults, likely due to strong social safety nets, generous parental leave, and workplace cultures emphasising work–life balance and inclusivity.[31] These examples suggest that structural interventions, rather than individual resilience alone, could play a decisive role in shaping men’s experiences of connection and belonging. For the UK, addressing men’s loneliness in remote working cannot rely on workplace initiatives alone; it also requires policy-level change and embedding practices that strengthen social connection. This might include not only workplace reforms, but also broader policies to strengthen welfare provision and family leave, which in Nordic contexts have helped reduce social isolation.[32] Workplace reform to address loneliness has been recognised by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport who recommend improving organisational culture by identifying what matters to employees, making loneliness part of managers’ responsibilities, and implementing staff networks to increase opportunities for social interaction.[33]

To support men’s mental health in remote workplaces, employers could, in principle, establish men’s mental health groups or networks, providing a safe space for socialising and sharing challenges.[34]  However, it is too early to say if such an approach would prove effective, as men are less likely than women to seek health-related help.[35] It’s also key to note that supporting male loneliness is not an issue that workplaces are solely responsible for; there is an opportunity for local communities to also address this issue. For example, the Men’s Shed Association has set up community spaces across multiple countries to provide a space for men to engage in craftwork and social interaction, providing health benefits by encouraging mental and physical activity, improved wellbeing and also an opportunity to learn new skills.[36] A 2023 report on the impact of Men’s Sheds asked 102 members to complete a loneliness scale developed by UCLA. The report found that 43% of members felt lonely before attending a Shed, which fell to just 3% after joining, resulting in a positive impact on their mental and physical well-being.[37] This report also identified that some men shared that they had been recommended to attend a Shed by their General Practitioner (GP) as part of social prescribing for their depression and feelings of loneliness. Recently, it was announced that GPs in England will be piloting social prescription of live football matches as an alternative to antidepressants in response to the growing concern of social isolation and loneliness amongst men.[38] This follows earlier sport-related initiatives, such as ‘Football Fans in Training’, which was developed by Scottish Premier League Football Clubs and designed to encourage male weight management. The initiative did this by bringing men together through a shared interest in football and research found that in addition to physical health benefits, the participants ‘valued the camaraderie and peer-support offered by the programme’, which presumably reduced potential loneliness.[39]

These initiatives highlight that tackling male loneliness is not the responsibility of any single setting but is a wider societal challenge that benefits from collective effort, including learning from the impact of initiatives which build on male interests, from craft to sport, that are likely to prove successful.

As remote and hybrid working arrangements continue to be a feature of the modern workplace, the need to support men’s mental health and tackle loneliness will only grow unless addressed. The upcoming Men’s Health Strategy for England presents a unique opportunity to better understand the intersection of male mental health, loneliness, and remote working, and to develop evidence-based strategies enabling workplaces and communities to act as effective support systems.[40] As remote working increasingly becomes the norm, workplaces must step up and support male staff who are most vulnerable to loneliness as a result of remote working, particularly younger, single employees who are new to the organisation or area and lack established social networks. Understanding, supporting, and connecting men to tackle loneliness isn’t just good for employees, it’s essential for a healthier society.

 

Caitlin Gilbert

 

References

1. ONS, Who has access to hybrid work in Great Britain?, 2025, https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/whohasaccesstohybridworkingreatbritain/2025-06-11 (Accessed 27 August 2025)
2. Mutebi, N., Hobbs, A., The impact of remote and hybrid working on workers and organisations, UK Parliament Post, 2022, https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PB-0049/POST-PB-0049.pdf#page=26.07 (Accessed 27 August 2025)
3. The Health Foundation, What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge, 2023, What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge - The Health Foundation (Accessed 27 August 2025)
4. ONS, Who are the hybrid workers?, 2024, https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/whoarethehybridworkers/2024-11-11, (Accessed 27 August 2025)
5. Marmot, M. Society and the slow burn of inequality, 2020, The Lancet, 1413-1414, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30940-5/abstract (Accessed 15 September 2025)
6. Felstead, A., & Reuschke, D. A flash in the pan or a permanent change? The growth of homeworking during the pandemic and its effect on employee productivity in the UK, 2023, Information Technology & People, 36(5), 1960-1981, https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/itp-11-2020-0758/full/html (Accessed 15 September 2025)
7. Management Review, 2022, 63(4), 10-12, https://search.proquest.com/openview/6038553b34cc914a2984b936b7541b44/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=26142 (Accessed 15 September 2025)
8. Buomprisco, G., Ricci, S., Perri, R., & De Sio, S., Health and telework: New challenges after COVID-19 pandemic, 2021, European Journal of Environment and Public Health, 5(2), https://www.ejeph.com/article/health-and-telework-new-challenges-after-covid-19-pandemic-9705 (Accessed 15 September 2025)
9. Nielsen, M. B., Christensen, J. O., & Knardahl, S., Working at home and alcohol use, 2021, Addictive behaviors reports, 14, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853221000407 (Accessed 15 September 2025)
10. Yang, L., Holtz, D., Jaffe, S., Suri, S., Sinha, S., Weston, J., & Teevan, J., The effects of remote work on collaboration among information workers, 2022, Nature human behaviour, 6(1), 43-54, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01196-4 (Accessed 15 September 2025)
11. UK, Investigating factors associated with loneliness in adults in England, 2022, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/factors-associated-with-loneliness-in-adults-in-england/investigating-factors-associated-with-loneliness-in-adults-in-england (Accessed 15 September 2025)
12. WHO, From loneliness to social connection, 2025, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978240112360/ (Accessed 28 August 2025)
13. Holt-Lunstad J., Smith T. B., Baker M., Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review, 2015, Perspect Psychol Sci. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691614568352 (Accessed 29 August 2025)
14. Burke, L., John, M., Hanna, P., A qualitative exploration of how young men in the UK perceive and experience informal help-seeking for mental health difficulties. Children and Youth Services Review, 137. 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740922000767 (Accessed 27 August 2025)
15. Tsirigotis, K., Gruszczynski, W., & Tsirigotis, M., Gender differentiation in methods of suicide attempts, 2011, Medical science monitor: international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 17(8), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3539603/ (Accessed 15 September 2025)
16. Franklin, A. et al., Towards an understanding of loneliness among Australian men: gender cultures, embodied expression and the social bases of belonging, J. Sociol., 55 (1), pp. 124-143. 2019. https://www.repository.utl.pt/bitstream/10400.5/29272/1/Towards%20an%20understanding%20of%20loneliness%20among%20Australian%20men.pdf (Accessed 27 August 2025)
17. Shockley, K. M. et al., Work-family strategies during COVID-19: Examining gender dynamics among dual-earner couples with young children. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(1), 15. 2021. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-82355-001.html&hl=en&sa=T&oi=gsr-r https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-82355-001.html (Accessed 28 August 2025)
18. Van Der Feltz-Cornelis, C. M. et al., Workplace stress, presenteeism, absenteeism, and resilience amongst university staff and students in the COVID-19 lockdown. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11. 2020. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.588803/full (Accessed 28 August 2025)
19. Miyake, F. et al., Job stress and loneliness among desk workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: focus on remote working. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 27, 33-33. 2022. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ehpm/27/0/27_22-00107/_pdf/-char/ja (Accessed 28 August 2025)
20. Bollestad, V., Amland, J. S., & Olsen, E. The pros and cons of remote work in relation to bullying, loneliness and work engagement: A representative study among Norwegian workers during COVID-19. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 2022. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1016368/full (Accessed 28 August 2025)
21. Bethke, T., Unlocking Employee Engagement in 2023: Insights from a Survey of Remote Workers, 2023, https://www.promoleaf.com/blog/unlocking-employee-engagement (Accessed 28 August 2025)
22. Killham, E., Loneliness as an Organizational Crisis, 2023, https://go.perceptyx.com/research-loneliness-as-an-organizational-crisis, (Accessed 28 August 2025)
23. Deloitte, Poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year for employees, 2024, https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/about/press-room/poor-mental-health-costs-uk-employers-51-billion-a-year-for-employees.html (Accessed 29 August 2025)
24. UK, Employers and loneliness, 2021, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-and-loneliness/employers-and-loneliness (Accessed 29 August 2025)
25. Infurna, F. J. et al., Loneliness in midlife: Historical increases and elevated levels in the United States compared with Europe. American Psychologist, 2024. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-59761-001 (Accessed 29 August 2025)
26. CIC, Men’s mental health: how can your workplace help, 2024, https://www.cicwellbeing.com/blog/mens-mental-health-how-your-workplace-can-help/ (Accessed 29 August 2025)
27. Handcock, M., ‘It’ll get better on it’s own’: men and their resistance to seeing a doctor, 2022, https://www.healthpolicypartnership.com/itll-get-better-on-its-own-men-and-their-resistance-to-seeing-a-doctor/ (Accessed 26 September 2025)
28. Men’s Sheds, Sheds, 2025, https://menssheds.org.uk/sheds/ (Accessed 29 August 2025)
29. Starks, L., Researching the value and impact of Men’s Sheds on their members, 2023, Men’s Sheds Association, https://menssheds.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/1000-faces-report-final-.pdf (Accessed 19 September 2025)
30. Health Professional Academy, GPs to prescribe live football as alternative to antidepressants, 2025, https://www.healthprofessionalacademy.co.uk/news/gps-to-prescribe-live-football-as-alternative-to-antidepressants#:~:text=student-,GPs%20to%20prescribe%20live%20football%20as%20alternative%20to%20antidepressants,modern%20world%20by%20social%20media.%E2%80%9D (Accessed 19 September 2025)
31. Gray, C. M., et al., Football Fans in Training: the development and optimization of an intervention delivered through professional sports clubs to help men lose weight, become more active and adopt healthier eating habits, 2013, https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-232 (Accessed 26 September 2025)
32. UK, Men’s Health Strategy for England: call for evidence, 2025, https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/mens-health-strategy-for-england-call-for-evidence/mens-health-strategy-for-england-call-for-evidence (Accessed 29 August 2025)

 

[1] ONS, Who has access to hybrid work in Great Britain?, 2025, https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/whohasaccesstohybridworkingreatbritain/2025-06-11 (Accessed 27 August 2025)

[2] Mutebi, N., Hobbs, A., The impact of remote and hybrid working on workers and organisations, UK Parliament Post, 2022, https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PB-0049/POST-PB-0049.pdf#page=26.07 (Accessed 27 August 2025)

[3] The Health Foundation, What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge, 2023, What we know about the UK’s working-age health challenge - The Health Foundation (Accessed 27 August 2025)

[4] The Health Foundation, 2023

[5] Mutebi & Hobbs, 2022

[6] ONS, Who are the hybrid workers?, 2024, https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/whoarethehybridworkers/2024-11-11, (Accessed 27 August 2025)

[7] Marmot, M. Society and the slow burn of inequality, 2020, The Lancet, 1413-1414, https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30940-5/abstract (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[8] Felstead, A., & Reuschke, D. A flash in the pan or a permanent change? The growth of homeworking during the pandemic and its effect on employee productivity in the UK, 2023, Information Technology & People, 36(5), 1960-1981, https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/itp-11-2020-0758/full/html (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[9] Knight, C., Olaru, D., Lee, J. A., & Parker, S. K., The loneliness of the hybrid worker. MIT Sloan Management Review, 2022, 63(4), 10-12, https://search.proquest.com/openview/6038553b34cc914a2984b936b7541b44/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=26142 (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[10] Buomprisco, G., Ricci, S., Perri, R., & De Sio, S., Health and telework: New challenges after COVID-19 pandemic, 2021, European Journal of Environment and Public Health, 5(2), https://www.ejeph.com/article/health-and-telework-new-challenges-after-covid-19-pandemic-9705 (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[11] Nielsen, M. B., Christensen, J. O., & Knardahl, S., Working at home and alcohol use, 2021, Addictive behaviors reports, 14, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352853221000407 (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[12] Yang, L., Holtz, D., Jaffe, S., Suri, S., Sinha, S., Weston, J., & Teevan, J., The effects of remote work on collaboration among information workers, 2022, Nature human behaviour, 6(1), 43-54, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-021-01196-4 (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[13] GOV.UK, Investigating factors associated with loneliness in adults in England, 2022, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/factors-associated-with-loneliness-in-adults-in-england/investigating-factors-associated-with-loneliness-in-adults-in-england (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[14] WHO, From loneliness to social connection, 2025, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978240112360/ (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[15] Holt-Lunstad J., Smith T. B., Baker M., Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review, 2015, Perspect Psychol Sci. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1745691614568352 (Accessed 29 August 2025)

[16] Burke, L., John, M., Hanna, P., A qualitative exploration of how young men in the UK perceive and experience informal help-seeking for mental health difficulties. Children and Youth Services Review, 137. 2022. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0190740922000767 (Accessed 27 August 2025)

[17] Tsirigotis, K., Gruszczynski, W., & Tsirigotis, M., Gender differentiation in methods of suicide attempts, 2011, Medical science monitor: international medical journal of experimental and clinical research, 17(8), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3539603/ (Accessed 15 September 2025)

[18] Franklin, A. et al., Towards an understanding of loneliness among Australian men: gender cultures, embodied expression and the social bases of belonging, J. Sociol., 55 (1), pp. 124-143. 2019. https://www.repository.utl.pt/bitstream/10400.5/29272/1/Towards%20an%20understanding%20of%20loneliness%20among%20Australian%20men.pdf (Accessed 27 August 2025)

[19] O’Hare, D. et al., (2024)

[20] Shockley, K. M. et al., Work-family strategies during COVID-19: Examining gender dynamics among dual-earner couples with young children. Journal of Applied Psychology, 106(1), 15. 2021. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-82355-001.html&hl=en&sa=T&oi=gsr-r https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2020-82355-001.html (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[21] Van Der Feltz-Cornelis, C. M. et al., Workplace stress, presenteeism, absenteeism, and resilience amongst university staff and students in the COVID-19 lockdown. Frontiers in psychiatry, 11. 2020. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.588803/full (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[22] Miyake, F. et al., Job stress and loneliness among desk workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: focus on remote working. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 27, 33-33. 2022. https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ehpm/27/0/27_22-00107/_pdf/-char/ja (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[23] Bollestad, V., Amland, J. S., & Olsen, E. The pros and cons of remote work in relation to bullying, loneliness and work engagement: A representative study among Norwegian workers during COVID-19. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 2022. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1016368/full (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[24] Bethke, T., Unlocking Employee Engagement in 2023: Insights from a Survey of Remote Workers, 2023, https://www.promoleaf.com/blog/unlocking-employee-engagement (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[25] Killham, E., Loneliness as an Organizational Crisis, 2023, https://go.perceptyx.com/research-loneliness-as-an-organizational-crisis, (Accessed 28 August 2025)

[26] Killham, E., 2023

[27] The Health Foundation, 2023

[28] ONS, 2025

[29] Deloitte, Poor mental health costs UK employers £51 billion a year for employees, 2024, https://www.deloitte.com/uk/en/about/press-room/poor-mental-health-costs-uk-employers-51-billion-a-year-for-employees.html (Accessed 29 August 2025)

[30] GOV.UK, Employers and loneliness, 2021, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employers-and-loneliness/employers-and-loneliness (Accessed 29 August 2025)

[31] Infurna, F. J. et al., Loneliness in midlife: Historical increases and elevated levels in the United States compared with Europe. American Psychologist, 2024. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-59761-001 (Accessed 29 August 2025)

[32] Infurna et al., 2024

[33] GOV.UK, 2021

[34] CIC, Men’s mental health: how can your workplace help, 2024, https://www.cicwellbeing.com/blog/mens-mental-health-how-your-workplace-can-help/ (Accessed 29 August 2025)

[35] Handcock, M., ‘It’ll get better on it’s own’: men and their resistance to seeing a doctor, 2022, https://www.healthpolicypartnership.com/itll-get-better-on-its-own-men-and-their-resistance-to-seeing-a-doctor/ (Accessed 26 September 2025)

[36] Men’s Sheds, Sheds, 2025, https://menssheds.org.uk/sheds/ (Accessed 29 August 2025)

[37] Starks, L., Researching the value and impact of Men’s Sheds on their members, 2023, Men’s Sheds Association, https://menssheds.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/1000-faces-report-final-.pdf (Accessed 19 September 2025)

[38] Health Professional Academy, GPs to prescribe live football as alternative to antidepressants, 2025, https://www.healthprofessionalacademy.co.uk/news/gps-to-prescribe-live-football-as-alternative-to-antidepressants#:~:text=student-,GPs%20to%20prescribe%20live%20football%20as%20alternative%20to%20antidepressants,modern%20world%20by%20social%20media.%E2%80%9D (Accessed 19 September 2025)

[39] Gray, C. M., et al., Football Fans in Training: the development and optimization of an intervention delivered through professional sports clubs to help men lose weight, become more active and adopt healthier eating habits, 2013, https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-13-232 (Accessed 26 September 2025)

[40] GOV.UK, Men’s Health Strategy for England: call for evidence, 2025, https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/mens-health-strategy-for-england-call-for-evidence/mens-health-strategy-for-england-call-for-evidence (Accessed 29 August 2025)