Non‑statutory guidance for public services boards and regional partnership boards: Assessments, data and evidence - 6. Annexes

These annexes are proposed for development and will be shaped through further engagement with PSBs, RPBs and regional analytical teams. Regions can adapt or add to these annexes as needed.

• Annex A: PSB statutory requirements checklists
• Annex B: RPB statutory requirements checklist
• Annex C: Data, grey literature and qualitative insight
• Annex D: Regional data catalogue
• Annex E: Glossary of key terms

Preparing an assessment of Local Well-being

This annex sets out the statutory requirements that a Public Services Board (PSB) must meet when preparing, consulting on, and publishing its assessment of local well-being under Part 4 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.

It is intended to support boards in ensuring that all legal duties are met in a clear, consistent and demonstrable way, while allowing appropriate flexibility in how the assessment is developed and presented.

How to use this annex

Purpose

This annex provides a practical checklist of statutory requirements to support:

• planning and drafting
• internal assurance
• governance and scrutiny

All requirements set out below must be met unless otherwise stated.

Summary of statutory requirements

Interpreting and demonstrating the requirements

The term ‘must’ reflects a statutory duty. This annex does not replace the statutory guidance and should be read alongside it.

The checklist restates statutory requirements rather than quoting directly, to ensure clarity, consistency and ease of use. Boards should ensure that the intent of each statutory duty is fully met.

Boards should be able to demonstrate how each requirement has been met, how evidence has informed analysis and how findings and conclusions have been reached. This will support effective scrutiny, accountability and confidence in the robustness of the assessment.

Statutory checklist

1. Duty to produce and timing

☐ The PSB must prepare and publish an assessment of local well-being.
☐ The assessment must be published no later than one year before the publication of the local well-being plan.
☐ The assessment must be published within the 12 months preceding an ordinary local government election.

2. Core content requirements

2.1 Defining the area

☐ The assessment must identify and set out the communities that comprise the PSB area.

Community areas should reflect meaningful local geographies and variation within the area, rather than relying solely on administrative boundaries.

2.2 Analysis of well-being

The assessment must analyse the state of economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being:

☐ for each community, and
☐ for the area as a whole.

☐ The assessment must analyse the well-being of people living in the area.

The level of detail should be sufficient to support robust conclusions, rather than exhaustive.

2.3 Additional analytical requirements

☐ The assessment must include any further analysis carried out by the board.
☐ The assessment must include any other relevant data and information the board considers appropriate.

The structure and format of the assessment is for the PSB to determine, provided statutory requirements are met.

3. Future focus

☐ The assessment must include predictions of future likely trends in well-being across all four dimensions.
☐ The assessment must have regard to the Welsh Ministers’ Future Trends Report (where relevant).

4. National framework alignment

☐ The assessment must refer to the national indicators.

5. Use of evidence

☐ The PSB must use a wide range of evidence and analysis to inform the assessment.
☐ The evidence base must include both quantitative and qualitative sources, where appropriate.

The assessment does not need to reproduce all underlying data. Data may be summarised, referenced or signposted where this supports clarity and accessibility.

The approach to evidence should be proportionate, focusing on material issues affecting well-being in the area.

6. Integration of other statutory assessments

The PSB must take into account relevant statutory reviews and assessments, including:

☐ climate change risk assessments
☐ childcare and nursery sufficiency assessments
☐ play sufficiency assessments
☐ population needs assessments
☐ crime, disorder, substance misuse and reoffending strategic assessments
☐ relevant environmental area statements

The assessment does not need to duplicate these assessments but should draw on and reference them appropriately.

7. Consideration of people and inequalities

☐ The assessment must consider the well-being of people in the area.

In doing so, the PSB must have regard to the needs of different groups, including:

☐ vulnerable or disadvantaged people
☐ people with protected characteristics
☐ children and young people
☐ people who need care and support, and carers*

* This requirement relates to understanding well-being at a population level. The assessment should draw on existing evidence, including population needs assessments, and does not require duplication of detailed care and support needs analysis undertaken through Regional Partnership Boards.

8. Sustainable development principle

☐ The PSB must apply the sustainable development principle in preparing the assessment.

This includes:

☐ taking a long-term approach
☐ considering prevention
☐ involving relevant people and communities

9. Consultation requirements

Before publication

The PSB must consult specified persons, including:

☐ the Future Generations Commissioner
☐ invited participants
☐ other partners
☐ the local authority scrutiny committee
☐ relevant voluntary organisations
☐ representatives of residents and businesses
☐ trade unions
☐ other persons with an interest in well-being
☐ The PSB must provide consultees with a draft assessment.
☐ The PSB must allow sufficient time for meaningful consideration and feedback.

10. Publication and distribution

Following publication, the PSB must send the assessment to:

☐ Welsh Ministers
☐ the Future Generations Commissioner
☐ the Auditor General for Wales
☐ the local authority scrutiny committee

11. Governance and responsibility

☐ The assessment must be agreed and published jointly by all statutory members of the PSB.
☐ The function of preparing and publishing the assessment must not be delegated to sub-groups.

Preparing a population needs assessment

This annex sets out the statutory requirements that Section 2 of the Social Service and (Well-being) Wales Act 2014.

It is intended to support boards in ensuring that all legal duties are met in a clear, consistent and demonstrable way, while allowing appropriate flexibility in how the assessment is developed and presented.

How to use this annex

Purpose

This annex provides a practical checklist of statutory requirements to support:

• planning and drafting
• internal assurance
• governance and scrutiny

All requirements set out below must be met unless otherwise stated, i.e. should statements are guidelines only.

Summary of statutory requirements

Categories taken from Section 2 of the Social Service and (well-being) Wales Act 2014 Codes of Practice.

Population needs assessment – Statutory “must” checklist

1. Core duty (Section 14)

☐ Local authorities and health boards must jointly carry out an assessment of:

• people who need care and support
• carers who need support

☐ The assessment must identify:

• unmet needs
• the range and level of services required
• the range and level of preventative services required
• how services will be delivered through the medium of Welsh

2. Partnership arrangements

☐ Local authorities must form a partnership arrangement with the health board for the assessment
☐ Specified partnership arrangements must be in place to undertake the assessment
☐ A single combined population needs assessment report must be produced per health board area

3. Producing the report

☐ A population needs assessment report must be produced
☐ Local authorities and health boards must formally approve the report
☐ The report must be published on partner websites
☐ A copy must be sent to Welsh Ministers at publication

4. Assessment content (Section 1 – Needs)

☐ Local authorities and health boards must jointly assess:

• extent of people needing care and support
• extent of carers needing support
• extent of unmet needs

☐ The report must include assessments of priority population groups (as specified in the code)
☐ The assessment must reflect:

• current needs
• future trends and long-term challenges

5. Assessment content (Section 2 – Services)

☐ Local authorities and health boards must jointly assess:

• the range and level of services required
• the range and level of preventative services required
• the actions needed to deliver services through Welsh

☐ Section 2 must include the assessment of preventative services required under section 15.

6. Equality and legal duties

☐ Local authorities and health boards must undertake an Equality Impact Assessment, covering all protected characteristics

7. Engagement duties

☐ A broad range of individuals and organisations must be involved in the assessment process
☐ Engagement must include:

• citizens (including children and seldom-heard groups)
• carers
• third and private sector providers 

☐ Local authorities and health boards must establish and publicise a procedure for obtaining people’s views (from core text)
☐ The report must set out how engagement has taken place (citizens and providers)

8. Timetable and cycle

☐ Local authorities and health boards must produce one report per local government electoral cycle

9. Review and updating

☐ The partnership arrangement must keep the report under review
☐ The report must be reviewed at least mid-cycle
☐ If significant change occurs, an addendum must be produced, published, and sent to Welsh Ministers (from core text obligations and summary)

10. Welsh Language duty

☐ The assessment must identify:

• need for services in Welsh
• the range and level of Welsh-language provision required
• gaps in provision

☐ Section 2 must identify actions required to deliver services through Welsh

11. Governance and delivery

☐ Partnership bodies must produce one combined report covering:

• each local authority area
• the whole health board area

☐ Partners must participate in the assessment process (via the partnership governance arrangements)
☐ Partners must share information required for the assessment

This annex sets out a high level approach to using data, evidence and insight in a way that is proportionate, purposeful and aligned across PSBs and RPBs. It is not intended to add burden or prescribe detailed technical requirements. Instead, it offers practical permissions and expectations to support a more streamlined assessment process, focused on the collective priorities that partnerships can meaningfully influence.

A proportionate and purposeful assessment

We encourage partnerships to take a proportionate approach to evidence and analysis. The purpose of the assessment is not to produce an encyclopaedic report. Instead, it should provide a clear narrative that:

• describes what the evidence shows
• sets out key assumptions, limitations and evidence gaps, including where data is dated, incomplete or unavailable, and what this means for interpretation.
• highlights what matters most
• explains why certain issues emerge as priorities
• demonstrates why partnership‑wide action is needed

Partnerships should set out what evidence they have drawn on, for example, a list of key datasets, sources, research and community insights. Readers should be able to identify the evidence underpinning key claims, conclusions and priorities and that any limitations or gaps are clearly acknowledged. This may be incorporated within the assessment, published as a data catalogue, technical annex or maintained through an accessible digital resource. The key expectation is that the assessment tells a clear story about how the evidence has informed the findings and that the relevant evidence is clearly accessible.

Practical permissions for working with evidence

Partnerships may wish to make use of the following permissions to make the assessment process more manageable:

• Flexible formats: Partnerships may use any format or technology, such as online platforms, interactive dashboards, videos, infographics or traditional written reports, as long as outputs are accessible, transparent and easy for the public to understand. Where interactive dashboards or live data tools are used, partnerships should ensure that interpretation rather than volume of data remains central. Dashboards should support transparency and understanding, not replace analytical judgement or narrative explanation.
• Gaps are acceptable: Where data is limited, unclear or evolving, you may simply note this rather than attempt to fill every gap.
• Shared evidence products: You may choose to develop regional data catalogues, thematic profiles or shared dashboards to support both PSB and RPB assessments.

Identifying and collecting data and evidence for your assessment

A clear understanding of what the assessment is intended to achieve will help focus your evidence‑gathering on the issues that matter most for your area. Being explicit about your purpose from the outset helps shape the structure of the assessment, identifies where deeper exploration is needed, and provides a clear line of sight to the priorities that will follow in your Well‑being assessments or Population Needs Plans.

Much of the data you need is likely to already exist. A key early task is to identify relevant sources and understand what each can contribute. Useful sources may include:

• Official statistics: such as data produced by ONS, Welsh Government or Public Health Wales. These provide robust, comparable data over time and across areas, though often with limited granularity at community level.
• Administrative data: information collected through service delivery. This can offer insight into real‑time service use and demand but may vary in quality or completeness.
• Local and community intelligence: insight generated through consultations, partner reports or local engagement, which can reveal issues not visible in national datasets.
• Grey literature: evaluations, research summaries and stakeholder reports that provide contextual or thematic insight. These may vary in quality and should be interpreted with care.
• Qualitative insight and community evidence: such as interviews, workshops or co‑production activities, which provide depth and explanation but may not represent all groups equally.
• Environmental evidence sources: including the State of Natural Resources Report (SoNaRR) and Natural Resources Wales’s Area Statements, which provide regional insight into environmental risks, pressures and opportunities.

No single source provides a complete picture. Using multiple types of evidence together can help corroborate findings, highlight contradictions and build a more rounded understanding of well‑being and need.

In considering the above forms of evidence partnerships should begin by considering recognised and trusted sources of evidence, including official statistics, national indicator frameworks, administrative datasets and established research. Use of these sources promotes comparability, consistency and confidence in findings across Wales. Other sources can then be used to gather additional information and data that can complement this data through more localised insight.

In considering the use of existing data, including qualitative insights from citizens collected through existing or ongoing engagement channels, partnerships should critically consider the robustness and representativeness of the evidence and its implications for findings. In particular you should consider whether:

• a range of demographic groups are represented
• geographic variation across the region is reflected
• evidence covers the key themes likely to influence well‑being and/or care and support needs
• perspectives from people with lived experience have been meaningfully included

Collecting new data

Where evidence gaps are identified, partnerships may wish to undertake targeted, proportionate data collection to strengthen the assessment. The expectation is not for extensive new activity to address every evidence gap, but for a balanced evidence base that credibly informs your findings.

Identifying gaps early allows partnerships to plan their approach and make best use of available resources. A simple data‑mapping exercise can help clarify what information already exists, where the gaps lie and which gaps are most important to address.

Capacity for primary data collection varies across Wales. Some areas may have sufficient in‑house analytical capacity, while others may need to draw on external researchers or academic partners. Decisions about how to collect new evidence should take account of local skills, resources and the relative importance of your evidence need.

Where new data collection is needed, partnerships should consider who to involve, what methods are appropriate and whether steps are required to ensure that seldom‑heard groups are meaningfully included. Where possible, integrating additional data collection into existing planned engagement activities rather than creating entirely new exercises may be appropriate.

Analysing and interpreting your data

Once you have gathered your data and evidence the next step is to analyse and interpret what they collectively show about people’s needs, the factors shaping them, and the implications for the future. The aim of this stage is to explain what the evidence means and why it matters, not to present all analysis in full or reproduce every dataset. Your assessment should outline the approach to analysis and how your conclusions were reached, guided by the core questions set at the outset of the assessment. These should guide your interpretation and help identify the most important messages.

As part of this interpretation, partnerships may find it helpful to reflect on their boundary judgements – the choices made about what has been included in the analysis, what has been left out, and why. Being explicit about these boundaries helps avoid blind spots. Partnerships may wish to ask:

1. Which groups, places, data sources or themes have we included – and what sits outside the boundary?
2. Are any important perspectives, experiences or influencing factors missing from our evidence?
3. If we widened or narrowed the boundary slightly, would the issue look different?
4. How might our boundary choices affect our understanding of inequalities or local variation?

Situation analysis and response analysis

Your analysis will likely include both:

• Situation analysis – understanding the economic, social, environmental and cultural conditions in your area, or the needs of specific population groups.
• Response analysis – considering what the evidence suggests about which issues should be prioritised, the types of interventions that may help, and what is known about what is or is not working.

Identifying patterns, inequalities and trends

Analysis should examine the main patterns and trends in your area, how they differ between groups or places, and how they compare with other areas or national benchmarks. This includes identifying inequalities, considering whether they are widening or narrowing, and reflecting on how conditions have changed since the last assessment.

Applying systems thinking to interpretation

When analysing evidence, partnerships may wish to consider how issues are interconnected, how actions or pressures in one part of the system affect others, and how shared drivers influence both PSB and RPB responsibilities. Taking a systems thinking approach can help identify underlying dynamics that may not be visible when looking at individual data sources. Partnerships may find it useful to ask:

• What is causing or reinforcing the pattern we are seeing?
• Are services, behaviours, environments or policies interacting in unexpected ways?
• What unintended consequences might arise from current pressures or decisions?
• Where might preventative action have the greatest impact? 

This approach supports more holistic and preventative interpretation and helps avoid narrow or linear assumptions.

Understanding drivers and causes

Interpretation should go beyond describing patterns to explore the underlying drivers and possible causes. These may reflect local service changes, wider policy developments, demographic shifts or external events. Understanding why trends are occurring can help inform the type of action that may be required and where early, preventative intervention could have the most impact.

Drawing on multiple sources

Using multiple sources together allows partnerships to strengthen their analysis. Evidence sources may corroborate one another, highlight contradictions or reveal different perspectives. Where sources diverge - for example between public perception and administrative data - exploring the reasons for these differences can offer valuable insight.

Linking evidence to conclusions

Partnerships should be able to demonstrate how evidence has informed key findings, conclusions and priorities. Analysis should clearly distinguish between evidence, interpretation and judgement. Where professional judgement or stakeholder views influence conclusions, this should be made explicit alongside the supporting evidence.

Being transparent about assumptions and limitations

It is normal for evidence gaps, uncertainties and limitations to remain. Acknowledging these clearly strengthens your analysis and helps guide areas for future work. It is also good practice to be transparent about any assumptions made during the analysis, and why these assumptions were necessary. This supports understanding of the findings and builds confidence in the interpretation.

What needs to be included (minimum narrative elements)

In addition to these points about the approach to analysis and evidence, partnerships should be mindful of the end product of their assessments. Each assessment should include a concise narrative that covers:

• What the evidence shows: headline findings from data, research and lived experience, including clear references to the principal evidence sources used
• What the assessment does and does not cover: a brief explanation of any key limitations, uncertainties or boundaries in the evidence, including where conclusions should be treated with caution.
• Why this matters: the implications for well-being or for care and support needs
• What is changing: key trends, pressures and strengths emerging across the region
• Why this is a priority for Well-being and Area Plans: why this is a priority for action.
• Where the partnership adds value: issues where collective action is necessary, and individual organisations cannot deliver change alone

This narrative should directly inform the identification of a smaller number of priorities, reflecting your intention for assessments to be more selective and strategic.

Community‑area analysis within the (Wellbeing) Assessment

For PSBs, the Well‑being of Future Generations Act requires assessments to “set out the communities that comprise the area” and to analyse the state of well‑being in each community and the whole area. Partnerships have flexibility in how this is presented. It is not a requirement to produce standalone chapters or annexes for every community area, unless this is locally preferred.

Community‑area analysis may be integrated within the main narrative, provided that the assessment clearly highlights where well‑being differs between communities and identifies any notable inequalities, variations or distinct local patterns. Where a standalone annex or supplementary material is more practical, this is also acceptable. What matters is that the assessment demonstrates a clear understanding of community‑level variation and reflects this insight in the overall analysis.

Futures and scenario planning

To support better decision‑making, partnerships may wish to include a brief, proportionate look ahead. This does not require complex modelling. Instead, simple and practical approaches can be used, such as:

• “What if” discussions with partners
• Short scenario sketches (e.g., optimistic, baseline, challenging)
• Trend lines drawn from national indicators, demographic forecasts or local intelligence
• Considering what changes are most likely to shape the next 5-10 years

The purpose is not to predict the future, but to help partnerships consider how priorities may evolve and where collective action will be most needed. This futures insight will support the prioritisation process described in Section 5.

This annex is intended to support partnerships by signposting recognised national, regional and thematic data sources. As data products, dashboards and evidence resources continue to evolve, this annex will be treated as a live resource and reviewed periodically. Welsh Government will continue to work with partners, including Data Cymru and other national data providers, to support access to recognised and quality-assured data sources and promote greater consistency in the evidence used across Wales. Partnerships should ensure they are using the most up-to-date datasets and analytical resources available at the time assessments are undertaken.

Below is a list of data sources and lead contacts to support development of strategic needs assessments.  The list is not exhaustive and Public Service Boards and Regional Partnership Boards will be expected to source local, regional and national data to determine need for their localities and regions. The links below signpost to established data sources to support boards and to maximize capacity, and partnerships should start by considering the recognised national sources listed below before developing local indicators or alternative measures. There is no expectation that this data is presented in local and regional assessments. The interpretation of data will be more important than simply displaying the data in assessment reports and hyperlinks can be included.

Data sources/contacts

• Wellbeing of Wales: 2025 - The report considers progress against the 50 national indicators, which were set by Welsh Ministers in 2016, alongside a range of other relevant data.
• Primary Care Clusters Dashboard - Population and public health outcomes data at Wales, HB and PCC level.
• Primary Care Clusters summary - Tabular summary of key metrics.
• Public Health Outcomes Framework reporting tool - Approximately 50 public health indicators covering risk factors, wider determinants of health and health outcomes throughout the life course. Current and trend data at Wales, HB and LA level along with breakdowns such as age, sex and area deprivation.
• Secondary School Children's Health and Well-being Dashboard - Data from 2017-2023 (biennial) covering a wide range of topics relating to the health and wellbeing of 11-16 children. Powerful data using the School Health Research Network survey. Most recent survey included approx. 120,000 children. Data at Wales, HB and LA level.
• Cancer reporting tool Wales - Official stats on cancer incidence, survival and deaths. Breakdowns by HB, LA and area deprivation.
• Child Measurement Programme Dashboard - Official stats on measures of overweight and obesity among 4-5 year olds. Breakdowns by HB, LA, Primary Care Cluster, ethnicity and area deprivation.
• National Social Care Data Portal For Wales - National Social Services Data
• Dashboards - Data Cymru - Data Cymru dashboards
• Natural Resources Wales / SoNaRR 2025 SMNR and biodiversity assessments - State of Natural Resources Report 2025 (SoNaRR) / NRW Area Statement
• ArmedForces@gov.wales / Peter.Kellam@gov.wales - Armed Forces Community needs (Welsh Government)
• NHSPI.NationalPEoLCProgramme@wales.nhs.uk - National Palliative and End of Life Care Programme (NHS Wales Performance and Improvement)
• Office for National Statistics - The Office for National Statistics publish a range of data relating to assessments including data relating to population, demography and economic activity.
• StatsWales - Data and statistics for Wales on a range of topics.
• Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation: 2025 - Comparing relative deprivation across areas.
• National Survey for Wales - Data from the national survey for Wales which covers a range of topics, with respondents across Wales.

This glossary provides definitions of key terms used throughout this guidance and accompanying annexes. It is intended to support a shared and consistent understanding across Public Services Boards (PSBs), Regional Partnership Boards (RPBs) and their partners.

Definitions are provided for clarity and usability within this guidance and do not replace statutory definitions where these exist.

A

Assessment (general)

A structured process of gathering, analysing and interpreting evidence to understand well-being or need.

Assessment of local well-being (PSB assessment)

The statutory assessment prepared by a Public Services Board under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, analysing economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being across an area and its communities.

Area Plan (RPB)

The statutory plan produced by Regional Partnership Boards which sets out how care and support needs will be met, informed by the Population Needs Assessment.

C

Combined assessment

A single integrated document that fulfils both the PSB well-being assessment and RPB Population Needs Assessment requirements, where partnerships choose to adopt this approach.

Communities (community areas)

Geographic areas within a PSB area used to analyse local variation in well-being. These should reflect meaningful local identity and variation rather than solely administrative boundaries.

Consultation

The formal process by which partnerships seek views on draft assessments or plans from specified persons and organisations, allowing sufficient time for informed feedback.

Co-production

An approach to working with people and communities as equal partners in shaping evidence, analysis or services.

D

Data catalogue

A structured list of datasets, research and evidence sources used in an assessment. This may be published as an annex or maintained as a separate resource.

Dashboards (data dashboards)

Interactive or digital tools used to present and explore data visually, which may support but do not need to be embedded within the assessment.

E

Evidence

Information used to inform an assessment, including quantitative data, qualitative insight, research, administrative data and lived experience.

Engagement

A broader process of involving people, communities and stakeholders in shaping evidence and understanding needs or well-being.

Environmental well-being

The condition of the natural environment, including the resilience of ecosystems, natural resources and their contribution to well-being.

F

Future Trends Report

A national report published by Welsh Ministers which provides analysis of long-term trends affecting well-being in Wales.

Futures and scenario planning

Techniques used to consider how conditions or needs may change over time, supporting long-term thinking and prioritisation.

G

Grey literature

Non-formally published material such as evaluations, internal reports, briefing papers and research summaries, which may provide useful contextual evidence.

I

Inequalities

Differences in outcomes between groups or places, often reflecting uneven distribution of resources, opportunities or conditions.

Integration (ways of working)

Considering how different objectives, policies or organisations interact and affect one another.

L

Lived experience

Knowledge and insight gained through direct personal experience, often used to complement quantitative data.

N

National indicators

Measures published by Welsh Ministers used to track progress towards the national well-being goals.

P

Population Needs Assessment (PNA)

The statutory assessment undertaken by RPBs under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, focusing on care and support needs, carers’ needs and service provision.

Prevention

Taking action to prevent problems occurring or getting worse, rather than responding after they arise.

Priorities (in this guidance)

A small number of key issues identified through the assessment that require partnership attention. These are not statutory objectives but inform later planning stages.

Proportionate (approach)

An approach that is appropriate to the scale, significance and purpose of the work, avoiding unnecessary complexity, burden or duplication.

Public Services Board (PSB)

The statutory partnership established in each local authority area responsible for improving well-being through joint working.

R

Regional Partnership Board (RPB)

A statutory partnership responsible for assessing and planning services to meet care and support needs across a region.

Response analysis

Analysis which considers what the evidence suggests should be done, including identifying priorities, interventions or actions.

S

Shared evidence base

A collaboratively developed set of data, insight and analysis that can be used by both PSBs and RPBs to inform their assessments.

Situation analysis

Analysis describing the current state of well-being or need, including patterns, trends and inequalities.

Statutory guidance

Guidance issued under legislation which must be taken into account when exercising statutory functions.

Sustainable development principle

The requirement to act in a way that meets present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

W

Well-being

The economic, social, environmental and cultural conditions of an area and its people, considered together.

Well-being goals

The 7 national goals which describe the kind of Wales the Well-being of Future Generations Act seeks to achieve.

Well-being Plan (local well-being plan)

The statutory plan produced by a PSB, setting out local objectives and steps to improve well-being based on the assessment.

Key cross-system clarifications

Care and support (in this guidance)

Refers to consideration of the well-being of people who need care and support, and carers, at a population level within assessments. This does not extend to detailed service planning, which is the responsibility of RPBs.

Alignment (PSB and RPB work)

The coordination of evidence, engagement, analysis or processes between PSBs and RPBs to improve efficiency and coherence, while maintaining distinct statutory responsibilities.

Duplication (to be avoided)

Unnecessary repetition of data collection, analysis or engagement across partnerships. This guidance encourages shared approaches to reduce duplication.

Reference (data and evidence)

Citing or signposting evidence sources rather than reproducing full datasets or analysis within the assessment.