This report is based on the findings of a survey conducted nationally over 6 weeks in early 2022 with 1,007 small business owner participants. The findings indicate that there are high levels of mental ill‑health within the small business sector, suggesting a continued need for tailored small business mental health initiatives.

Key points:

• Twenty‑two per cent of small business respondents — just over 1 in 5 — reported having been diagnosed with a mental ill‑health condition by a doctor or health professional in recent months. In some industry groups the figures were higher at around one in three.
• A key cause of stress for small business owners was finding a balance between the demands of work, family and personal life followed by lockdowns due to COVID‑19.
• Stigma associated with mental ill‑health is still an issue with 46 per cent of respondents thinking they would be treated poorly if they disclosed they had been diagnosed with a mental illness.
• Barriers to accessing support include the cost (54 per cent), lack of time (49 per cent), and services not understanding the needs of small businesses (39 per cent).