Employment in the public and private sectors by sex and Welsh local authority
Contents
Standard shorthand is used in this table: [c] = confidential information, [u] = low reliability.
| Data values | Data description | Year | Geography | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.8 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Merthyr Tydfil | Males |
| 36.1 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Merthyr Tydfil | Females |
| 37.3 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Caerphilly | Persons |
| 24.7 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Caerphilly | Males |
| 50.2 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Caerphilly | Females |
| 28.3 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Blaenau Gwent | Persons |
| 16.3 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Blaenau Gwent | Males |
| 40.4 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Blaenau Gwent | Females |
| 32.0 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Torfaen | Persons |
| 17.9 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Torfaen | Males |
| 43.9 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Torfaen | Females |
| 25.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Flintshire | Persons |
| 14.8 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Flintshire | Males |
| 37.3 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Flintshire | Females |
| 27.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Wrexham | Persons |
| 17.6 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Wrexham | Males |
| 36.5 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Wrexham | Females |
| 27.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Powys | Persons |
| 23.1 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Powys | Males |
| 33.8 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Powys | Females |
| 26.9 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Vale of Glamorgan | Persons |
| 20.1 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Vale of Glamorgan | Males |
| 33.7 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Vale of Glamorgan | Females |
| 29.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Cardiff | Persons |
| 24.2 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Cardiff | Males |
| 36.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Cardiff | Females |
| 27.2 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Monmouthshire | Persons |
| 19.9 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Monmouthshire | Males |
| 35.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Monmouthshire | Females |
| 32.9 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Newport | Persons |
| 22.9 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Newport | Males |
| 44.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Dec 2024 | Newport | Females |
| 23.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | United Kingdom | Persons |
| 16.0 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | United Kingdom | Males |
| 31.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | United Kingdom | Females |
| 30.5 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Wales | Persons |
| 22.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Wales | Males |
| 39.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Wales | Females |
| 34.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Isle of Anglesey | Persons |
| 20.7 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Isle of Anglesey | Males |
| 47.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Isle of Anglesey | Females |
| 32.7 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Gwynedd | Persons |
| 20.7 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Gwynedd | Males |
| 45.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Gwynedd | Females |
| 28.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Conwy | Persons |
| 22.1 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Conwy | Males |
| 35.7 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Conwy | Females |
| 30.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Denbighshire | Persons |
| 21.6 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Denbighshire | Males |
| 39.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Denbighshire | Females |
| 27.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Ceredigion | Persons |
| 19.7 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Ceredigion | Males |
| 38.2 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Ceredigion | Females |
| 23.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Pembrokeshire | Persons |
| 14.8 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Pembrokeshire | Males |
| 31.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Pembrokeshire | Females |
| 38.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Carmarthenshire | Persons |
| 30.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Carmarthenshire | Males |
| 47.2 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Carmarthenshire | Females |
| 34.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Swansea | Persons |
| 25.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Swansea | Males |
| 43.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Swansea | Females |
| 29.5 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Neath Port Talbot | Persons |
| 17.6 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Neath Port Talbot | Males |
| 42.3 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Neath Port Talbot | Females |
| 26.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Bridgend | Persons |
| 17.7 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Bridgend | Males |
| 34.0 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Bridgend | Females |
| 33.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | Persons |
| 27.2 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | Males |
| 40.7 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Rhondda Cynon Taf | Females |
| 32.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Merthyr Tydfil | Persons |
| 23.3 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Merthyr Tydfil | Males |
| 41.6 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Merthyr Tydfil | Females |
| 34.9 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Caerphilly | Persons |
| 23.9 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Caerphilly | Males |
| 46.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Caerphilly | Females |
| 28.5 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Blaenau Gwent | Persons |
| 18.4 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Blaenau Gwent | Males |
| 38.2 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Blaenau Gwent | Females |
| 30.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Torfaen | Persons |
| 15.9 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Torfaen | Males |
| 42.5 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Torfaen | Females |
| 25.5 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Flintshire | Persons |
| 12.7 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Flintshire | Males |
| 37.8 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Flintshire | Females |
| 27.7 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Wrexham | Persons |
| 18.8 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Wrexham | Males |
| 37.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Wrexham | Females |
| 29.0 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Powys | Persons |
| 24.6 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Powys | Males |
| 35.0 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Powys | Females |
| 28.2 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Vale of Glamorgan | Persons |
| 23.3 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Vale of Glamorgan | Males |
| 33.3 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Vale of Glamorgan | Females |
| 29.4 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Cardiff | Persons |
| 24.2 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Cardiff | Males |
| 36.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Cardiff | Females |
| 26.1 | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Monmouthshire | Persons |
| 19.5 [u] | Percentage of persons employed in the public sector | Year ending 31 Mar 2025 | Monmouthshire | Males |
Main information
- Most recent update
- 26 September 2025
- Next update expected
- 9 October 2025
- Designation
- Accredited official statistics
- Data provider
- Office for National Statistics (ONS)
- Data source
- Annual Population Survey (APS)
Data notes
- Rounding applied
Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and so there may be some apparent slight discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and the totals as shown.
Overview
- Summary of dataset and variables
The data in this dataset relates to the status of persons employed in Wales, breaking the total down into those who work in the public sector and those who work in the private sector.
- Data collection or calculation
These data are taken from the ANNUAL datasets from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), providing labour market data for the local authorities in Wales. The availability of local authority data is dependent upon on an enhanced sample (around 350 per cent larger) for the annual LFS, which commenced in 2001.
For years labelled 2001 to 2004 in this dataset, the actual periods covered are the 12 months running from March in the year given to February in the following year (e.g. 2001 = 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002).
Since 2004, the annual data have been produced on a rolling annual basis, updated every three months, and the dataset is now referred to as the Annual Population Survey (APS). The rolling annual averages are on a calendar basis with the first rolling annual average presented here covering the period 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2005, followed by data covering the period 1 April 2005 to 31 March 2006, with rolling quarterly updates applied thereafter. Note therefore that the consecutive rolling annual averages overlap by nine months. The only available official source of time series information on public sector employment on a consistent National Accounting basis for Wales and the other UK countries and English regions is the Office for National Statistics publication Regional Analysis of Public Sector Employment.
The definition of the public sector used in this dataset is that used by the LFS/APS, essentially that owned, funded or run by central or local government. Further some respondents to the survey may not always be aware of whether their industry is in the public or private sector. In comparison with employer-based estimates, the LFS/APS tends to over-estimate public sector employment levels.
Under the National Accounting definition of the public sector, GPs and higher education institutions are excluded, mainly due to their autonomous nature. The LFS/APS definition codes doctors and dentists according to whether their work is mainly NHS or private, and codes universities and other grant funded educational establishments as public sector.
Thus for this dataset, the private sector includes:
- public limited companies;
- limited companies;
- self-employed individuals;
- charities, private trusts, housing associations or other voluntary organisations (including private schools);
- trade union employees; and
- private contractors, even if they work exclusively for the public sector e.g. cleaning firms, consultants.
Key data on the labour market is updated every month showing the position for the latest three months, for the UK and each of the UK countries and English regions. Note these data are seasonally adjusted and also that no sub-regional (i.e. local authority) data are published by the ONS to a monthly timetable.
Annual results covering the periods described earlier are also available from the ONS, providing more detailed data from the LFS, including data for sub-Wales geographies. These annual datasets use results from the samples for the quarterly surveys used for the key series, together with results from additional persons sampled to provide a more robust (boosted) dataset, with estimates subject to much lower sampling variability.
Quarterly results are also available, again providing more detailed data from the LFS than the key series, including data for sub-Wales geographies. However, although these data are available earlier than the data taken from the annual datasets, data for sub-Wales geographies taken from the quarterly datasets are no longer included on StatsWales as the results are far less robust than those which come from the annual datasets.
Note that as data are taken from the ANNUAL Labour Force Survey datasets they do NOT exactly match annual averages derived from the 4 QUARTERLY datasets in the relevant 12 month period covered due to differences in the sampling structure.
Nomis is the ONS's official portal for labour market statistics. Note that some estimates from Nomis for the APS may differ slightly from those presented here due to differences in how local authority geographies are constructed.
- Statistical quality
Annual Population Survey (APS) responses are weighted to official population projections. The projections for 2020 were 2018-based, and, therefore, were based on demographic trends that pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic.
To allow for different trends during the pandemic the responses for the APS have been reweighted on the 9 September 2021 to new populations derived using growth rates from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Real Time Information (RTI). The reweighting has been applied from year ending March 2020 data onwards and gives improved estimates of both rates and levels.
The changes ONS have made to the weighting should reduce the bias of estimates at high levels of aggregation. Some smaller breakdowns may be impacted negatively and more extreme changes could be seen given the reduced size of the underlying sample since the start of the pandemic.
As the data come from a survey, the results are sample-based estimates and therefore subject to differing degrees of sampling variability, i.e. the true value for any measure lies in a differing range about the estimated value. This range or sampling variability increases as the detail in the data increases, for example individual local authority data are subject to higher variability than Wales data.
- Related reports
Published by
- Organisation
- Welsh Government
- Contact email
- labourmarket.stats@gov.wales