Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The Welsh Government's National Survey for Wales covers a random sample of 12,000 adults a year (aged 16+) living in private households across Wales. The survey provides representative, reliable and up-to-date information about the people of Wales down to local authority level.

The survey began in 2012. In 2015 it was reviewed the decision was taken to amalgamate five large scale social surveys that were carried out in Wales into one. From 2016-17 onwards the National Survey for Wales was expanded to include topics previously covered by the Welsh Health Survey, Active Adults Survey, Arts in Wales Survey, and Welsh Outdoor Recreation Survey.

The aim of the survey is to provide representative, reliable and up-to-date information about the people of Wales down to local authority level. Prior to March 2020, the survey was carried out face-to-face in respondents’ homes. Since May 2020 onwards, the survey has been carried out by telephone. Topics were updated monthly and results published monthly for May to September 2020; from October, topic updates and publications switched to quarterly.

The survey continued in telephone mode for 2021-22 onwards, with an online element added from July 2021.

Further information is available on the Welsh Government National Survey for Wales webpages.

Main Topics:

This survey covers a range of issues including health (e.g. diet, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical activity), childcare, and child education, climate change and environmental action, visits to the outdoors, participation in arts events, and sports activities, use of and satisfaction with public services, material deprivation and income, wellbeing and loneliness, use of and attitudes towards the use of the Welsh language, internet access and use and tax devolution. Topics are reviewed each year.