Annual Population Survey - Frequency of speaking Welsh by local authority and year

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Standard shorthand is used in this table: [a] = average, [t] = total, [u] = low reliability, [x] = not available.

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Data description ( of 2 selected2 selectable options)

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Frequency of speaking Welsh ( of 4 selected4 selectable options)

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Local Authority ( of 23 selected23 selectable options)

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Year ( of 85 selected85 selectable options)

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Data valuesData descriptionFrequency of speaking WelshLocal AuthorityYear
0.9PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Jun 2011
0.7PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Mar 2011
0.7PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Dec 2010
0.8PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Sep 2010
0.8PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Jun 2010
1.2PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Mar 2010
1.3PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Dec 2009
1.2PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Sep 2009
1.7PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Jun 2009
2.0PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Mar 2009
2.1PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Dec 2008
2.1PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Sep 2008
2.2PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Jun 2008
2.3PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Mar 2008
2.6 [u]PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Dec 2007
3.0 [u]PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Sep 2007
3.7PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 30 Jun 2007
3.7PercentageNeverDenbighshireYear ending 31 Mar 2007
0.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2025
0.8PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2024
1.2PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2024
1.8PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2024
1.5PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2024
2.0PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2023
2.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2023
2.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2023
2.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2023
2.0PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2022
2.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2022
2.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2022
2.1PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2022
2.0PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2021
1.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2021
1.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2021
1.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2021
2.2PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2020
2.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2020
2.6PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2020
2.5PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2020
2.6PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2019
2.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2019
2.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2019
2.0PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2019
1.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2018
1.8PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2018
1.8PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2018
1.6PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2018
1.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2017
1.2PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2017
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2017
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2017
0.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2016
0.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2016
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2016
1.6PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2016
1.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2015
2.2 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2015
2.1PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2015
1.8PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2015
1.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2014
0.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2014
0.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2014
0.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2014
0.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2013
1.1PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2013
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2013
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2013
1.4PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2012
1.2PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2012
1.2PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2012
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2012
1.1PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2011
1.3PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2011
0.8PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2011
0.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2011
0.7PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2010
0.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2010
0.9PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2010
1.5PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2010
1.6PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2009
2.2 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2009
2.9 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2009
3.0 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2009
3.3 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2008
3.5 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2008
4.1 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2008
4.2 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2008
4.5 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Dec 2007
4.5 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Sep 2007
3.9 [u]PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 30 Jun 2007
4.2PercentageNeverFlintshireYear ending 31 Mar 2007
0.8PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 31 Mar 2025
0.4PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 31 Dec 2024
1.0PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 30 Sep 2024
1.6PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 30 Jun 2024
1.9PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 31 Mar 2024
1.8PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 31 Dec 2023
2.1PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 30 Sep 2023
2.0PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 30 Jun 2023
1.9PercentageNeverWrexhamYear ending 31 Mar 2023
Showing 12,101 to 12,200 of 13,432 rows
Page 122 of 135

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 often people aged 3 or older say they speak Welsh, by local authority and 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).
  • Frequency category – how often people say they speak Welsh (e.g. daily, weekly, less often, never).
  • Measure – the estimated number or percentage of people in each frequency category.

You can use this dataset to compare how often Welsh is spoken in different parts of Wales and how this changes 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.

Related reports

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
welshlanguagedata@gov.wales

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