Annual Population Survey - Ability to read, write and understand spoken Welsh by local authority and year
Contents
Standard shorthand is used in this table: [a] = average, [t] = total, [u] = low reliability.
| Data values | Data description | Welsh Skill | Local Authority | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,044,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2018 |
| 1,037,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2019 |
| 1,032,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2018 |
| 1,030,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2019 |
| 1,024,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2023 |
| 1,023,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2022 |
| 1,022,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2021 |
| 1,021,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2022 |
| 1,020,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2023 |
| 1,020,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2018 |
| 1,019,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2022 |
| 1,019,200 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2021 |
| 1,016,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2021 |
| 1,014,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2020 |
| 1,014,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2021 |
| 1,013,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2022 |
| 1,012,900 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2023 |
| 1,012,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2019 |
| 1,012,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2017 |
| 1,011,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2018 |
| 1,009,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2017 |
| 1,005,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2023 |
| 1,002,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2017 |
| 1,001,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2024 |
| 1,000,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2020 |
| 997,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2020 |
| 997,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2017 |
| 995,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2024 |
| 993,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2020 |
| 992,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2019 |
| 985,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2024 |
| 983,200 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2016 |
| 974,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2016 |
| 968,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 |
| 965,900 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2015 |
| 965,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2016 |
| 962,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2015 |
| 958,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 |
| 957,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2015 |
| 955,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2015 |
| 954,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2014 |
| 954,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2016 |
| 949,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2014 |
| 948,900 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2014 |
| 942,900 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2014 |
| 938,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2013 |
| 937,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2005 |
| 935,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2004 |
| 931,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2005 |
| 931,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2005 |
| 929,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2013 |
| 921,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2013 |
| 919,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2011 |
| 919,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2005 |
| 918,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2012 |
| 917,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2012 |
| 917,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2012 |
| 917,200 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2006 |
| 916,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2012 |
| 916,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2006 |
| 916,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2013 |
| 910,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2006 |
| 908,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2006 |
| 901,800 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2007 |
| 900,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2011 |
| 900,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2009 |
| 894,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2009 |
| 894,200 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2011 |
| 891,900 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2011 |
| 888,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2007 |
| 886,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2008 |
| 885,100 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2010 |
| 885,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2007 |
| 882,400 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2010 |
| 882,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2009 |
| 881,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2010 |
| 878,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2007 |
| 878,500 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2008 |
| 876,700 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2009 |
| 869,600 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2008 |
| 869,300 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2010 |
| 868,000 [t] | Number | Understand spoken Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2008 |
| 807,100 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2018 |
| 806,700 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2018 |
| 804,800 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2019 |
| 802,900 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2017 |
| 799,000 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2017 |
| 799,000 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2018 |
| 799,000 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2019 |
| 796,500 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2017 |
| 796,000 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2017 |
| 795,500 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2022 |
| 795,200 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2023 |
| 794,300 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2018 |
| 793,200 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2022 |
| 789,900 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2023 |
| 789,700 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Jun 2022 |
| 789,100 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Dec 2020 |
| 789,000 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 31 Mar 2021 |
| 787,400 [t] | Number | Read Welsh | Wales | Year ending 30 Sep 2021 |
Main information
- Most recent update
- 25 September 2025
- Next update expected
- 9 October 2025
- Designation
- Official statistics
- Data provider
- Office for National Statistics (ONS)
- Data source
- Annual Population Survey (APS)
Data notes
- Revisions
- 25 September 2025
- 25 September 2025
- Rounding applied
Figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and so there may be some apparent slight discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and the totals as shown.
Overview
- Summary of dataset and variables
This dataset shows how many people aged 3 or older say they can read, write, and understand spoken Welsh. Figures are shown by local authority in Wales and by year ending date.
The information is broken down by:
- Local authority – the area where people live.
- Year ending – the period the estimate relates to (for example, year ending 31 March 2023).
- Measure – the estimated number or percentage of people aged 3 or older who report being able to read, write and understand spoken Welsh.
You can use this dataset to compare local authorities and see how Welsh skills change over time.
- Data collection or calculation
The data come from the Annual Population Survey (APS), which is an annual dataset derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Local authority level data have been available since 2001, when an enhanced sample (around 350% larger than the standard survey) was introduced.
Since 2004, the APS has been produced on a rolling annual basis, with each rolling annual average covering a 12-month period and updated every three months. This provides more timely data while overlapping periods by nine months. The rolling dataset is boosted with additional sampled respondents to improve the robustness of estimates, particularly for local-level geographies.
For the years 2001–2003, Welsh-specific weights are applied to better reflect population figures for local authorities. In mid-March 2020, APS interviews switched from face-to-face to telephone because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ONS monitored the impact and re-weighted the data accordingly. Face-to-face interviews were reintroduced in autumn 2023. Comparing pre-2020 face-to-face interviews with telephone interviews suggested a slight increase in respondents reporting Welsh-speaking ability, so caution is advised when interpreting trends across this period.
The survey collects information on the population’s ability to speak Welsh. Respondents aged 3 or older are asked whether they can speak Welsh, and estimates are presented as counts or percentages of Welsh speakers.
Standard analysis and weighting methods are applied to ensure the estimates are representative of the population.
- Statistical quality
These estimates were previously classified as accredited official statistics. Due to a fall in sample sizes in the Annual Population Survey (APS) in recent years, and because the survey has not been reweighted to the latest population estimates, this accreditation has been temporarily suspended. The estimates are now designated as official statistics.
The statistics remain suitable for use, but users should note that there is increased uncertainty, particularly for smaller geographic areas or population sub-groups, where estimates are less reliable. Trends should be considered alongside other sources of information on Welsh speakers, such as the National Survey for Wales. The Welsh Government considers the census of population to be the key source of information to measure the number of Welsh speakers in Wales.
All APS data are sample-based, meaning results are estimates rather than exact counts. The true value of any measure lies within a range around the estimate, with variability increasing as data become more detailed. For example, local authority-level estimates are subject to greater uncertainty than national-level estimates.
APS responses are weighted to official population projections. Initially, 2020 data were based on 2018 population projections, which did not account for changes from the COVID-19 pandemic. In September 2021, APS data were reweighted using updated population estimates derived from HM Revenue and Customs Real Time Information (RTI), improving accuracy for overall rates and levels.
These changes reduce potential bias in higher-level aggregates, but some smaller breakdowns may still be affected due to reduced sample sizes during the pandemic, leading to more extreme variation in estimates.
Published by
- Organisation
- Welsh Government
- Contact email
- welshlanguagedata@gov.wales