Wellbeing of Wales, 2024 - Main points

Following the economic shocks resulting from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, economic conditions have been somewhat calmer over the last year. Even so, the wider UK economy barely grew in 2023 and likely a similar outcome applied in Wales. 

Inflation has now returned to more typical rates, at around the Bank of England’s target of 2%. However, inflation has still impacted living standards, with UK disposable household income per person remaining below the pre-pandemic level once inflation is accounted for. 

Between 2021 and 2023, 21% of all people in Wales were living in relative income poverty, after housing costs were paid. Children continue to be the population group most likely to be in relative income poverty. Latest data (2020-21 to 2022-23) shows that this was the case for 29% of children in Wales compared to 16% of pensioners.

Annual Population Survey data shows that the employment rate in Wales and in the UK increased in the year ending March 2024. The unemployment rate increased in both countries, while the economic inactivity rate decreased. However, in both countries the number of working age people who were economically inactive due to ill health remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. 

Employment rates in Wales remain lower for women than for men (70.2% and 76.8% respectively in the year ending March 2024). The gap has grown to 6.6 percentage points from 4.8 percentage points the previous year. The employment gap for disabled people in 2024, of 30.9 percentage points, has reduced from 35.4 percentage points in 2016.

A national milestone on participation in education and the labour market was set in 2021 which is that at least 90% of 16 to 24 year olds will be in education, employment, or training by 2050. Provisional estimates show that 85.8% of 16 to 24 year olds were in education, employment or training in 2022, up from 83.7% in 2021. This increase is driven by an increase in the employment rate for 16 to 18 year olds. 

In April 2023, the (full-time) gender pay gap was 5.6%, unchanged from the previous year. In the 2023, the disability pay gap widened slightly compared to the previous year, to 12.2%, while the ethnicity pay gap narrowed a little to 13.8%.

The national indicator on soil carbon for 2021-23 shows that the concentration of carbon in our topsoil is generally stable, apart from in arable land and broadleaf woodland where a loss of carbon in topsoil has been observed relative to concentrations in 2013-16.

Nearly 49,000 properties in Wales were at high or medium risk of flooding from rivers and over 79,000 properties at high or medium risk of tidal flooding in 2024. 

After an increase during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the amount of household waste generated, but not recycled per person decreased. 

Life expectancy fell for the second period in a row, which includes the period of the coronavirus pandemic. The gap in life expectancy between the most and least deprived areas was similar to the previous period for both females and males. Healthy life expectancy fell compared to the previous period.

Deaths from all causes increased in the last year compared to the previous year, but were lower than the high number of deaths seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has been a slight upward trend in the number of low birth weight babies, with 2022 being the highest on record. This figure remained unchanged in 2023.

Life satisfaction and anxiety levels for adults deteriorated compared to the previous year. 

Girls continue to achieve better educational outcomes at GCSE. In summer 2023, 69.7% of entries for girls were awarded at grades A* to C. This was 7.3 percentage points higher than boys. The gap has narrowed slightly in recent years.

People who live in less deprived areas are more likely to agree with all three measures of community cohesion. They are also more likely to feel safe after dark and be satisfied with their local area than people living in more deprived areas

The percentage of households successfully prevented and relieved from homelessness has fallen, whilst the number of individuals in temporary accommodation has increased, and the estimated number of individuals sleeping rough is over 50% higher compared to 2022 estimates. 

Around 7% of adults in Wales were victims of crime (excluding fraud) in 2023-24. Police recorded crime in Wales (excluding fraud) decreased by 4% in 2023-24 compared with the previous year, as did violence against the person.

The total number of police recorded hate crimes in Wales decreased by 4% in 2022-23. However, hate crimes where religion or transgender status was a motivating factor increased by 26% and 22% respectively

Since 2016-17, there has been a relatively large increase in regular participation in sport by adults, despite a plateau between 2017-18 and 2019-20. Sports participation amongst school pupils had increased but has now fallen back to similar levels seen in 2013. 

The first post-pandemic data on children’s attendance and participation in the arts shows that both have fallen since 2019. This contrasts with the picture for adults, where the percentage regularly attending and participating in arts, culture and heritage did not change significantly after the pandemic.

New analysis on Welsh language use shows that over half of Welsh speakers aged 16+ speak Welsh with their colleagues at least some of the time, and just under 1 in 5 always speak Welsh with colleagues. 

In 2022, it was estimated that greenhouse gas emissions released into the atmosphere directly from within Wales totalled 35.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), a 0.1% decrease since 2021.