Ten male disadvantages

Male disadvantage	Detail and references
1. Boys lag behind girls at every stage of education and are more likely to be excluded from school.	Key Stage 2: 54% of boys vs 63% of girls met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths Boys are 1% higher than girls in maths Source: Department for Education (Key Stage 2 attainment) GCSE (2022): 46.2% of boys and 52.5% of girls achieved a Grade 5 or above in English and maths Source: Department for Education (Key Stage 4 performance) A Level (2022): 36.9% of girls achieved an A or above compared with 34.7% of boys 80,000 more A-Levels were awarded to girls than boys Source: Ofqual A Level results (England) Exclusions: Department for Education (Permanent exclusions and suspensions in England)
2. Only 45% of university entrants are men.	UCAS entry figures 2021 (UK domicile) All ages: Men 186,710 \| Women 261,370 18-year-olds: Men 118,220 \| Women 154,290 This equates to 43% male participation among 18-year-olds.
3. 13% of men aged 16–24 are NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training).	Source: Office for National Statistics (UK), March 2021.
4. Suicide death rates among men are three times higher than for women.	In 2021, 4,704 men in England, Wales and Scotland died by suicide, up from 4,500 in 2020. Including Northern Ireland (160 deaths), this equates to approximately 13 deaths per day. Men account for 75% of all suicide deaths, and suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50. Source: Office for National Statistics; Public Health Scotland.
5. Life expectancy is 3.9 years lower for men than women.	2020 life expectancy: 79.0 years for males and 82.9 years for females. Source: Office for National Statistics – National life tables (2018–2020)
6. Men are more likely to die from cancer or COVID-19.	Cancer: In 2018, 88,959 men in the UK died from cancer, compared with 77,778 women Men also have lower survival rates Source: Cancer Research UK. COVID-19: Between March 2020 and November 2021, 93,665 men died compared with 77,990 women Working-age mortality: 31 per 100,000 men vs 17 per 100,000 women Source: Office for National Statistics, December 2021.
7. 85% of rough sleepers are male.	DLUHC – Rough sleeping snapshot in England (Autumn 2021)
8. Men make up 96% of the prison population; many experienced abuse or have learning difficulties.	Ministry of Justice – Prison population figures (2020) One third of prisoners have a learning difficulty and/or disability. Source: Hansard 84% of men in prison reported at least one adverse childhood experience. Source: Public Health Wales & Bangor University Ministry of Justice – Prisoners’ childhood and family backgrounds
9. Around one million UK children grow up with little or no contact with their father.	Centre for Social Justice – Fractured Families
10. Men and boys are often portrayed negatively in the media.	The harmful actions of a minority are amplified, while the positive, everyday contributions of men — at work, in families, and in communities — are often overlooked.

Male disadvantage

Detail and references

1. Boys lag behind girls at every stage of education and are more likely to be excluded from school.

Key Stage 2:

54% of boys vs 63% of girls met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Boys are 1% higher than girls in maths

Source: Department for Education (Key Stage 2 attainment)

GCSE (2022):

46.2% of boys and 52.5% of girls achieved a Grade 5 or above in English and maths

Source: Department for Education (Key Stage 4 performance)

A Level (2022):

36.9% of girls achieved an A or above compared with 34.7% of boys
80,000 more A-Levels were awarded to girls than boys

Source: Ofqual A Level results (England)

Exclusions:

Department for Education (Permanent exclusions and suspensions in England)

2. Only 45% of university entrants are men.

UCAS entry figures 2021 (UK domicile)

All ages: Men 186,710 | Women 261,370
18-year-olds: Men 118,220 | Women 154,290

This equates to 43% male participation among 18-year-olds.

3. 13% of men aged 16–24 are NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training).

Source: Office for National Statistics (UK), March 2021.

4. Suicide death rates among men are three times higher than for women.

In 2021, 4,704 men in England, Wales and Scotland died by suicide, up from 4,500 in 2020. Including Northern Ireland (160 deaths), this equates to approximately 13 deaths per day.

Men account for 75% of all suicide deaths, and suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50.

Source: Office for National Statistics; Public Health Scotland.

5. Life expectancy is 3.9 years lower for men than women.

2020 life expectancy: 79.0 years for males and 82.9 years for females.

Source: Office for National Statistics – National life tables (2018–2020)

6. Men are more likely to die from cancer or COVID-19.

Cancer:

In 2018, 88,959 men in the UK died from cancer, compared with 77,778 women
Men also have lower survival rates

Source: Cancer Research UK.

COVID-19:

Between March 2020 and November 2021, 93,665 men died compared with 77,990 women
Working-age mortality: 31 per 100,000 men vs 17 per 100,000 women

Source: Office for National Statistics, December 2021.

7. 85% of rough sleepers are male.

DLUHC – Rough sleeping snapshot in England (Autumn 2021)

8. Men make up 96% of the prison population; many experienced abuse or have learning difficulties.

Ministry of Justice – Prison population figures (2020)

One third of prisoners have a learning difficulty and/or disability. Source: Hansard

84% of men in prison reported at least one adverse childhood experience. Source: Public Health Wales & Bangor University

Ministry of Justice – Prisoners’ childhood and family backgrounds

9. Around one million UK children grow up with little or no contact with their father.

Centre for Social Justice – Fractured Families

10. Men and boys are often portrayed negatively in the media.

The harmful actions of a minority are amplified, while the positive, everyday contributions of men — at work, in families, and in communities — are often overlooked.