Wales
The State of the State 2026
As in previous editions of State of the State, this year’s survey finds the Welsh public differing from the rest of the UK, notably:
- People in Wales are more satisfied with levels of safety from crime than the UK average. However, they are slightly less satisfied with transport links to the rest of the UK and a range of other local factors.
- The Welsh public is slightly less pessimistic about the future than other parts of the UK when it comes to the cost of living, crime, immigration and inequality.
- The Welsh Government is the second most trusted national administration in the UK, after the Scottish Government.
The State of the State in the words of the people who run it.
For more than a decade, our State of the State reports have provided a view of the public sector from the people who run it. This year, we interviewed more than 100 public sector leaders including politicians, senior civil servants, police chief constables, council chief executives and NHS officials. From our conversations we’ve created a number of key insights from public sector leaders. Our interviews with public sector leaders described a system that is too often weighted against its own talent – and many shared views of how it could better serve the public.
The public's view of the public sector.
There is a real danger that public trust in government could continue to decline if the gap between rhetoric and reality is not closed.
The impact of digital and potential of Artificial Intelligence in public services
Getting it done matters more to the public than doing it online
Authors
Ian Howse
Ian is the senior partner in our Cardiff office and leads our national Public Sector audit team. He has 25 years’ experience of delivering audit and assurance services. Ian leads teams delivering internal and external audit services and assurance services to a wide range of clients. His assurance skills include improving financial management and financial control, cost reduction, control improvement, governance and the management of risk.
Ed Roddis
Before joining Deloitte, he worked in communications, public affairs and research roles in various parts of the third and public sectors spanning local government, education and public financial management.
Keen to learn more about what this means for your sector? Get in touch with our team UKDeloitteStateof@deloitte.co.uk
