The Datum Report

ITL1 region

Wales

What we think is happening

The job market in Wales has been getting stronger.

improving · established confidence · formed 31 August 2026 · how we reached this

By subject

Every figure published for Wales. Open a subject to see them, each with its history and its source. Where a producer splits the area into many categories, those sit behind a further disclosure.

Labour market 11
8.0%
7.58.69.72020-03-31: 9.42020-06-30: 9.52020-09-30: 9.22020-12-31: 9.12021-03-31: 8.72021-06-30: 8.82021-09-30: 8.82021-12-31: 8.72022-03-31: 8.72022-06-30: 8.42022-09-30: 8.52022-12-31: 8.32023-03-31: 8.42023-06-30: 8.32023-09-30: 8.12023-12-31: 8.52024-03-31: 8.42024-06-30: 8.02024-09-30: 8.02024-12-31: 7.72025-03-31: 7.82025-06-30: 8.02025-09-30: 7.92025-12-31: 7.92026-03-31: 8 2020-03 2026-03
25 monthly readings · 7.7 to 9.5 · axis starts at 7.5

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±0.6, basis not documented by the producer

Employment rate - aged 16-64
Apr 2025-Mar 2026
72.1%
71.873.174.32020-03-31: 73.62020-06-30: 73.72020-09-30: 73.22020-12-31: 72.72021-03-31: 72.22021-06-30: 72.12021-09-30: 72.82021-12-31: 73.02022-03-31: 73.62022-06-30: 73.72022-09-30: 73.42022-12-31: 73.32023-03-31: 73.02023-06-30: 73.62023-09-30: 74.12023-12-31: 74.12024-03-31: 73.52024-06-30: 73.02024-09-30: 72.72024-12-31: 72.82025-03-31: 73.42025-06-30: 72.72025-09-30: 72.42025-12-31: 72.52026-03-31: 72.1 2020-03 2026-03
25 monthly readings · 72.1 to 74.1 · axis starts at 71.8

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±0.9, basis not documented by the producer

Unemployment rate - aged 16-64
Apr 2025-Mar 2026
4.4%
4.44.54.62025-12-31: 4.62026-03-31: 4.4 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 4.4 to 4.6 · axis starts at 4.4

ONS, Annual Population Survey - headline labour market rates, published 21 July 2026
±0.5, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

24.5%
22.624.025.32020-03-31: 23.52020-06-30: 23.42020-09-30: 23.92020-12-31: 24.42021-03-31: 24.82021-06-30: 24.52021-09-30: 24.02021-12-31: 23.72022-03-31: 23.52022-06-30: 23.52022-09-30: 24.12022-12-31: 24.42023-03-31: 24.52023-06-30: 23.82023-09-30: 22.92023-12-31: 23.02024-03-31: 23.82024-06-30: 24.52024-09-30: 25.12024-12-31: 24.72025-03-31: 23.92025-06-30: 24.12025-09-30: 24.12025-12-31: 242026-03-31: 24.5 2020-03 2026-03
25 monthly readings · 22.9 to 25.1 · axis starts at 22.6

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±0.9, basis not documented by the producer

Claimant count
August 2026
65,615
62k64k66k2026-01-31: 63k2026-02-28: 65k2026-03-31: 65k2026-04-30: 64k2026-05-31: 64k2026-06-30: 64k2026-07-31: 64k2026-08-31: 66k 2026-01 2026-08
8 monthly readings · 63k to 66k · axis starts at 62k

ONS / DWP, Claimant count by sex and age, published 15 September 2026
72 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

3.4%
3.23.33.42026-01-31: 3.22026-02-28: 3.32026-03-31: 3.42026-04-30: 3.32026-05-31: 3.32026-06-30: 3.32026-07-31: 3.32026-08-31: 3.4 2026-01 2026-08
8 monthly readings · 3.2 to 3.4 · axis starts at 3.2

ONS / DWP, Claimant count by sex and age, published 15 September 2026
72 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

% of economically inactive 5
0.6%
0.40.50.62025-12-31: 0.42026-03-31: 0.6 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 0.4 to 0.6 · axis starts at 0.4

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±0.3, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

33.1%
32.933.934.82025-12-31: 34.62026-03-31: 33.1 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 33.1 to 34.6 · axis starts at 32.9

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±2.0, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

14.7%
14.614.614.72025-12-31: 14.62026-03-31: 14.7 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 14.6 to 14.7 · axis starts at 14.6

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±1.5, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

14.1%
13.813.914.12025-12-31: 13.82026-03-31: 14.1 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 13.8 to 14.1 · axis starts at 13.8

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±1.5, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

22.9%
22.823.223.72025-12-31: 23.62026-03-31: 22.9 2025-12 2026-03
2 monthly readings · 22.9 to 23.6 · axis starts at 22.8

ONS, Annual Population Survey - variables (percentages), published 21 July 2026
±1.8, basis not documented by the producer
23 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

Pay 1
£21,469
7,80215k23k1997-12-31: 9,2661998-12-31: 9,3101999-12-31: 9,7352000-12-31: 10k2001-12-31: 11k2002-12-31: 11k2003-12-31: 11k2004-12-31: 12k2005-12-31: 12k2006-12-31: 13k2007-12-31: 13k2008-12-31: 13k2009-12-31: 13k2010-12-31: 14k2011-12-31: 14k2012-12-31: 14k2013-12-31: 15k2014-12-31: 15k2015-12-31: 16k2016-12-31: 16k2017-12-31: 16k2018-12-31: 17k2019-12-31: 17k2020-12-31: 18k2021-12-31: 18k2022-12-31: 19k2023-12-31: 20k2024-12-31: 21k 1997-12 2024-12
28 annual readings · 9,266 to 21k · axis starts at 7,802

ONS, Gross disposable household income per head

Business 12
Businesses
2025
104,820

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

80,525

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

6,490

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

535
3734625522010-03-31: 3902011-03-31: 4352012-03-31: 4502013-03-31: 4652014-03-31: 4502015-03-31: 4552016-03-31: 4702017-03-31: 4602018-03-31: 4852019-03-31: 4902020-03-31: 5152021-03-31: 5052022-03-31: 4852023-03-31: 4952024-03-31: 5002025-03-31: 535 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 390 to 535 · axis starts at 373

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

100
7287.51032010-03-31: 752011-03-31: 802012-03-31: 852013-03-31: 852014-03-31: 902015-03-31: 852016-03-31: 802017-03-31: 752018-03-31: 802019-03-31: 902020-03-31: 902021-03-31: 852022-03-31: 802023-03-31: 802024-03-31: 902025-03-31: 100 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 75 to 100 · axis starts at 72

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

3,000

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

150
991301612010-03-31: 1152011-03-31: 1152012-03-31: 1202013-03-31: 1402014-03-31: 1202015-03-31: 1052016-03-31: 1302017-03-31: 1302018-03-31: 1552019-03-31: 1502020-03-31: 1402021-03-31: 1402022-03-31: 1452023-03-31: 1552024-03-31: 1502025-03-31: 150 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 105 to 155 · axis starts at 99

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

12,910

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

1,030

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

80
50.872.594.22010-03-31: 552011-03-31: 652012-03-31: 652013-03-31: 552014-03-31: 702015-03-31: 652016-03-31: 702017-03-31: 652018-03-31: 752019-03-31: 852020-03-31: 852021-03-31: 852022-03-31: 702023-03-31: 752024-03-31: 902025-03-31: 80 2010-03 2025-03
16 annual readings · 55 to 90 · axis starts at 50.8

ONS, UK Business Counts - enterprises by size band, published 14 October 2025

126,920

ONS, UK Business Counts - local units, published 14 October 2025
15 earlier periods withheld by the producer and absent from the chart.

81,458
27k57k87k1998-12-31: 33k1999-12-31: 33k2000-12-31: 35k2001-12-31: 36k2002-12-31: 38k2003-12-31: 40k2004-12-31: 43k2005-12-31: 45k2006-12-31: 47k2007-12-31: 49k2008-12-31: 49k2009-12-31: 49k2010-12-31: 50k2011-12-31: 52k2012-12-31: 54k2013-12-31: 56k2014-12-31: 57k2015-12-31: 59k2016-12-31: 61k2017-12-31: 63k2018-12-31: 65k2019-12-31: 68k2020-12-31: 65k2021-12-31: 68k2022-12-31: 75k2023-12-31: 81k 1998-12 2023-12
26 annual readings · 33k to 81k · axis starts at 27k

ONS, Gross value added, published 16 October 2025

Local authorities in Wales

Blaenau Gwent · Bridgend · Caerphilly · Cardiff · Carmarthenshire · Ceredigion · Conwy · Denbighshire · Flintshire · Gwynedd · Isle of Anglesey · Merthyr Tydfil · Monmouthshire · Neath Port Talbot · Newport · Pembrokeshire · Powys · Rhondda Cynon Taf · Swansea · Torfaen · Vale of Glamorgan · Wrexham