More men in the legal profession are reaching out for pastoral support from the LawCare helpline, with stress and depression among the top concerns, according to statistics published today.

LawCare reported an 8.6% rise in the proportion of men using the service in 2016. Women still made up the majority of people turning to the service, accounting for 62% of callers. The proportion of calls from men went up from 35% in 2015 to 38% this year.

LawCare said the largest share of callers (38%) cited stress as their main concern while 12% said they were depressed.

Other reasons for calling were bullying/harassment (7%); financial problems (6%), as well as alcohol-related issues and ethical problems.

Elizabeth Rimmer, chief executive of LawCare, said: ‘We are not surprised that stress is still the number one reason for calls: this can be work-related, or due to personal issues.

‘We want to encourage people in the legal profession to talk about their mental health and wellbeing, so we can tackle the stigma associated with it, particularly in the workplace,’ she added.

LawCare is a charity that promotes and supports good mental health and wellbeing across the legal community in the UK and Ireland. Its helpline is open 365 days a year: 0800 279 6888