South-West Wales
- The latest population of South West Wales is 662,900. (2007)
- By 2020 the population of South West Wales is projected to be 722,900.
- According to the 2008 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, of the 421 Lower Super Output Areas in South West Wales, 44 (10%) are in the 10% most deprived in Wales.
- 80 per cent of year 11 school leavers in 2008 continued in full-time education. 41 per cent of year 11 leavers remaining in full-time education stayed on school while 59 per cent opted to continue to year 12 in a further education college.
- In 2007 69 per cent of all adults of working age have a qualification at level 2 or above, with 27 per cent at level 4 or above. 16 per cent of the working age population have no qualifications.
Economic data
- Gross Value Added in South West Wales was £11.2 billion in 2006. At the start of 2008, there were 20,110 VAT registered businesses in South West Wales and in 2007, the region had a workforce of 296,500 people. (ONS regional GVA release, Dec 2008; BERR VAT Registrations and de-Registrations 2007, Nov 2008; WAG Workplace Employment, Jul 2008)
- At £12,851, GVA per head of the population in South West Wales in 2006 was 68 per cent of the UK average. (ONS regional GVA release, Dec 2008).
- There were 511 VAT registered businesses per 10,000 working age population in South West Wales, compared to 486 for Wales and 536 across the UK, as at 1 January 2008. (BERR VAT Registrations and de-Registrations 2007, Nov 2008).
Labour Market
- At 5.9 per cent, the ILO unemployment rate in South West Wales for the year to September 2008 was similar to that for Wales as a whole and above that for the UK (5.8 and 5.3 per cent respectively). (ONS Annual Population Survey, Mar 2009).
- In the year to September 2008, the employment rate in South West Wales was 70.2 per cent of the working age population, a little below the Wales average and well below the UK average (71.3 and 74.4 per cent respectively). (ONS Annual Population Survey).
- The service sector accounted for 79 per cent of jobs in South West Wales in 2006, a little above the figure for Wales (77 per cent) but a little below the average for the UK (81 per cent). (WAG Workplace Employment by industry in Wales, 2001 to 2006, Jul 2008)
- Full-time average earnings in South West Wales in April 2008 were £483.5 per week, below the £498.1 for Wales as a whole and 84 per cent of the UK average. (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Nov 2008).
Source: StatsWales
