More than 50 per cent of men living in Britain are more likely to discuss mental health issues with their barber than with a doctor, a new survey indicates. The survey of 1,908 men was carried out by men’s mental health charity The Lions Barber Collective and male grooming brand The Bluebeards Revenge, and comes ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September.

52 per cent of respondents said that they were more likely to discuss depression and other mental health issues with their barbers, and 71 per cent said they had a good or very good relationship with their barber compared to 59 per cent who rated their relationship with their doctor as average or poor.

One anonymous respondent said: “My relationship with my barber has been established over 25 long years. He knows everything about me and has become a very reliable and trustworthy friend that I can disclose any information to. I can’t say the same for my doctor; every time I visit my local surgery, I’m greeted by another young face – fresh out of medical school – that has no time or intention to build too much of a rapport with me because he knows he will probably never see me again."