Statistics Wales quarterly update: September 2026

This is the latest in a series of quarterly updates, for users of Welsh statistics, on our latest developments, consultations, and plans.

A full list of our most recent publications can be found on our upcoming calendar. 

Preparatory work is underway to review and refine the topics and categories used to find and organise data on StatsWales (known as the “taxonomy”), taking account of feedback received from users so far. This work will help ensure the taxonomy continues to support user needs and improve content discoverability.

Alongside this, we are working on the longer-term roadmap for development and enhancements to the service. 

If you would like to get in touch, please contact statswales@gov.wales

Economy

The role of the Welsh Economic Statistics User Group is to engage with and advise Welsh Government analysts on strategic priorities and the work plan for economic statistics in Wales. Past agenda items and presentations, as well as the terms of reference can be found online. The next meeting will be held on 20 October 2026. We are eager to extend membership of this group to a wider audience. If you would be interested in joining this group, which meets twice a year (either hybrid or online), please contact KASevents@gov.wales. 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently published an update outlining recent methodological changes implemented to produce seasonally adjusted current price estimates of regional gross domestic product (GDP). Further work is required to refine these methods and to finalise methods for chain volume measures to allow for estimates in real terms. ONS are planning on providing biannual updates before fully reinstating this quarterly publication. Previous quarterly regional GDP releases have used chain volume measures.

Up until July 2026, we continued to publish our Short-term output indicators. However, as this is conceptually similar to quarterly regional GDP, our Short-term output indicators: January to March 2026 was our final publication in this series. At the beginning of August, we published Regional gross domestic product (current prices): July to September 2025 which was the first bi-annual publication whilst ONS are working on fully reinstating the quarterly publication. For users of STOI, we would advise using regional GDP to measure short-term changes in the Welsh economy.

In June, we published Businesses that are innovation active: 2022 to 2024, and in August, we published Research and development gross expenditure: 2024. In September, we will publish Regional gross domestic product and gross value added: 1998 to 2024.

If you would like to get in touch, please contact economic.stats@gov.wales

Labour market

ONS have highlighted that the challenges with maintaining response rates for the Labour Force Survey (LFS) continue to affect data quality. As a result LFS-based labour market statistics are labelled as official statistics in development (Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR)) until further review and we continue to recommend that users consider LFS estimates alongside other labour market data sources. 

The latest updates from the ONS on the quality of the Labour Force Survey and the planned improvements for economic statistics (ONS), both published in July 2026, include information on the actions ONS have been and continue to take to improve the quality of the LFS and labour market statistics. In the latest LFS quality update, ONS state that response levels and data quality have continued to improve at the UK level since the problems experienced in 2023, but they are still advising caution when interpreting short-term movements and detailed breakdowns (which will include Wales level estimates). For further information on the interventions ONS have made to improve the quality of LFS and APS labour market estimates and our advice on using these statistics for Wales, please see the latest Chief Statistician’s update: measuring the labour market in Wales which was updated in April 2026.

We continue to publish our monthly labour market overview release, which brings together a range of different labour market sources. We recommend using the LFS data alongside the trends in these other measures of the labour market to gain a clearer picture of the impact different events have on the Welsh labour market.

In July we published our Annual Population Survey labour market statistics data for the year ending March 2026 which includes data for UK countries and regions and also for local areas. We also published Jobs Growth Wales+ statistics for April 2025 to March 2026 which presents information on young people enrolled on the Jobs Growth Wales+ programme.

If you would like to get in touch, please contact labourmarket.stats@gov.wales

Trade Survey for Wales

The analysis of Trade Survey for Wales 2022 is available online. 

Preparation work for fieldwork to collect 2025 data is underway following the completion of a six-week pilot survey in April 2026. Fieldwork is due to take place from September to December 2026 with final datafiles and outputs presented by the contractor due in March 2027. 

For further information contact: stats.trade@gov.wales

Welsh International Goods Trade

Data from HMRC Regional Trade Statistics (RTS) for April 2025 to March 2026 were published 11 June 2026, with the next quarter’s data due to be published on 17 September 2026. Users can continue to access the most accurate and timely data (which incorporates all revisions) through the quarterly headlines and our interactive dashboard.

For further information contact: stats.trade@gov.wales

Supply and use tables and input output tables

The 2022 Supply and use tables and input-output tables were published on 23 July. These statistics provide a detailed picture of the flow of goods and services between Welsh industries, households, government, the rest of the UK and the rest of the world.

Alongside the tables, we published indicative economic multipliers for 2022 (StatsWales). These multipliers can be used to estimate the wider economic impacts on Wales of changes in demand for the output of specific industries, subject to a number of important assumptions.

We welcome feedback on any aspect of these statistics and are happy to advise users on how to interpret and use the tables and multipliers.

For further information contact: InputOutputTables@gov.wales 

Schools

Published statistical releases

The final monthly publication of pupils’ attendance in maintained schools for the 2025/26 academic year was published on 4 August, this publication will resume in September 2026 for the next academic year.

Schools' census results: January 2026 was published on 5 August.

Pupils educated other than at school: September 2025 to August 2026 was published on 13 August.

Upcoming statistical releases

Attendance and absence from secondary schools: September 2025 to August 2026 on 29 September 2026

Examination results: September 2025 to August 2026 (provisional) on 6 October 2026

Permanent and fixed-term exclusions from schools: September 2024 to August 2025 on 3 November 2026

Attendance and absence from primary schools: September 2025 to August 2026 on 24 November 2026

Examination results: September 2025 to August 2026 (final) on 3 December 2026

Attendance and absence from schools: September 2025 to August 2026 on 8 December 2026

If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback, you can contact us on school.stats@gov.wales

School workforce

The latest available statistics from the School Workforce Census results for November 2025 were published on 14 July 2026.

If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback on school workforce data, you can contact us on educationworkforcedata@gov.wales

Higher education and student finance

We continue to publish our monthly releases on Education Maintenance Allowances (EMA) awarded in Wales and Student support for higher education.

To provide feedback, or for any further information, please contact highereducationandstudentfinance.stats@gov.wales

Improving homelessness data collection in Wales

Currently, homelessness data in Wales is gathered through aggregate returns from local authorities, providing information on households applying for housing assistance and the outcomes of those applications. Work continues to transition to a new data collection approach that will capture individual-level data on homelessness applicants. We believe this shift will significantly enhance our understanding of homelessness in Wales and ultimately support efforts to improve outcomes for vulnerable individuals.

Following the conclusion of a data pilot that took place at the end of 2025 with a small selection of local authorities, it was agreed that the new data collection would not fully ‘go-live’ from the original April 2026 launch date. Instead, we will continue to pilot the new collection in phased stages between April 2026 and April 2027. This will give time to improve data quality, complete General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements, and further develop systems. Alongside this work, a survey is being undertaken which will help us assess the readiness of local authorities to provide the minimum dataset for the new individual-level collection from April 2027 onwards. Findings will be used to help progress the implementation of the new data collection. 

Updated local housing market assessment tool released

The Local Housing Market Assessment (LHMA) Tool was updated to Version 4.0 in August 2026, incorporating the latest 2022-based sub-national household projections and updated Land Registry house price data for 2023 to 2025. The update includes improvements to usability, navigation and guidance, alongside methodological enhancements and new reporting tables. The accompanying guidance has been updated to include information on temporary accommodation and single-person accommodation needs.

Revision of estimates of additional housing need

The revision updates the lower and higher variant estimates of newly arising housing need following revised low and high household projection variants published in June 2026. The central estimate and existing unmet need remain unchanged, and the main messages of the publication are unaffected. 

Recent 2024-based population projections and 2025 population estimates suggest lower population growth than previously projected, meaning the published housing need estimates are likely to be towards the upper end of the range. Updated estimates will be produced once new household projections are available. The revised publication also includes a 10-year migration variant to provide users with an additional comparison point.

Improving social housing stock and rent data collection

We are looking for user feedback on how this data is used and what improvements users would like to see in future iterations of this improving social housing stock and rent data collection release. We are looking for feedback now so these changes can be implemented through the data collection process ready for the next annual collection. To provide feedback on this release and what improvements you would like to suggest, please email stats.housing@gov.wales.

Housing publications

Homelessness accommodation provision and rough sleeping: March 2026 (published 28 May 2026)

Dwelling stock estimates: as at 31 March 2025 (published 4 June 2026)

Homelessness accommodation provision and rough sleeping: April 2026 (published 25 June 2026)

Social landlord housing sales: April 2025 to March 2026 (published 7 July 2026)

Homelessness: April 2025 to March 2026 (published 22 July 2026)

Social landlord housing stock and rents: as at 31 March 2026 (published 30 July 2026)

Homelessness accommodation provision and rough sleeping: May 2026 (published 30 July 2026)

New house building: April 2025 to March 2026 (published 9 July 2026)

Estimates of additional housing need: 2025-based (revision, published 5 August 2026)

Please contact us via the stats.housing@gov.wales mailbox with any queries or requests.

Hospital statistics

This quarter, we updated the monthly NHS activity and performance summary and our quarterly statistics on NHS performance for each local health board.

Mental health

This quarter we published updates to quarterly mental health statistics relating to detentions under Section 135 and 136 of the Mental Health Act and the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010. 

Primary care, workforce and community health

This quarter we published updates to primary care statistics including on the general practice workforce, NHS workforce, NHS dental services and prescriptions. We postponed the publication of general practice activity statistics, that were due to be published in July, as we identified issues in the underlying data following the migration of general practice appointment management systems to a single supplier. 

We also published updates to community health statistics on maternity and births, breastfeeding and the Healthy Child Wales programme.

Social services statistics

We published updates to adults receiving care and support, children looked after by local authorities and social services capacity and demand (StatsWales).

Other health statistics

This quarter has also seen regular updates to a range of other health and social services statistics, including eye care measures and smoking cessation services. 

All our statistical releases are available on the statistics and research website and more detailed data are available on the health and social care area of StatsWales. 

For further information or to get in touch, please email stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

Workplace discrimination

On 1 July we published the workplace discrimination statistical bulletin. This bulletin looks at how likely adults in Wales were to have faced ageism, bullying or discrimination in the workplace, as well as which characteristics of people were associated with having these experiences.

Smoking and drinking alcohol

On 27 August we published the smoking and drinking alcohol statistical bulletin. This report covers trends of adults smoking, using e-cigarettes, and drinking more alcohol than recommended by NHS guidelines in Wales. It also examines the characteristics of adults in Wales who are more or less likely to smoke and drink more alcohol than is recommended. 

Please contact us at surveys@gov.wales if you have any questions.

Poverty and cost of living

For relative income poverty, DWP’s planned summer update to the back-series administrative-linked data for 2018 to 2019, 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, as indicated in our March 2026 blog, was not published.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) identified a data issue during final quality assurance of the back-series update and this will need to be resolved before the data can be released. The revisions will now be published in the March 2027 release along with the 2025/26 release - this means that there will be one set of revisions to those years. 

Additionally, DWP have identified an error with the 2024 to 2025 Council Tax variable used in the March 2026 poverty publication and dataset. The correction to the council tax variable for 2024/25 will also be made as part of the March 2027 release, alongside other changes outlined in DWP’s Release Strategy including the production of a single revised back series of estimates using Census based population data for all years back to 2012 to 2013. 

Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD)

We’ve recently published some new WIMD StatsWales tables, including indicator data by WIMD deciles, by rural urban classification and by Middle-layer Super Output Area (MSOA). 

In July we published an analysis of deprivation in rural and urban areas of Wales using WIMD 2025. 

Our WIMD publications list catalogues everything we have published and what’s to come.

In July, we published our Road traffic: 2025 release. We also published Police recorded road collisions: January to March 2026 (provisional) in July and updated the interactive dashboard, including breakdowns such as severity of injury, type of road user and collision location on a map. As part of this publication, we also provided an update on the implementation of injury-based reporting systems (IBRS) by police forces in Wales and published severity adjusted casualty data as official statistics in development for the first time. To assist users with what this change means, we published a Chief statistician’s update: upcoming changes to road collisions and casualty statistics explaining these changes, their impacts and the adjustments needed to severity data. We have also updated our Police recorded road collisions and casualties: quality report. 

In August, we published Road lengths and conditions: April 2025 to March 2026 release.

If you would like to get in touch, please contact stats.transport@gov.wales 

Welsh language data from the Annual Population Survey: April 2025 to March 2026 was published on 22 July. We also updated our StatsWales tables (Annual Population Survey: Welsh language).

If you have any feedback or would like further information about any aspect of our work, please email: welshlanguagedata@gov.wales

The latest available statistics for air quality (StatsWales) were published on the 2 July 2026 and refer to the 2024 calendar year. If you have feedback or would like further information, please email: Stats.environment@gov.wales

In June, we published Council Tax collection rates, Local authority revenue budget and capital forecast, and Budgeted expenditure on Special Educational Needs provision.

In July, we published Local authority budgeted expenditure on schools.

If you have feedback or would like further information, please email: stats.finance@gov.wales

For further information or to get in touch please email stats.popcensus@gov.wales.

General statistics enquiries

Email: stats.info.desk@gov.wales 

Tel: 0300 025 5050

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