Voter Priorities in Wales: NHS, Economy and Immigration Still Dominate, While Environment and Welfare Overtake Housing

As Welsh voters look ahead to the 2026 Senedd elections and continue evaluating the new Labour government’s record nationally, new polling reveals clear divisions in what issues matter most across different political camps. While the NHS and the economy remain the most widely shared concerns across the board, deeper analysis shows how voter priorities are diverging along party lines, age and ideology. Comparing this month’s results to the previous polling also reveals which issues are gaining or losing salience among the Welsh public.

#### The NHS: Still the Top Concern

The National Health Service continues to dominate public concern, with 61% of all Welsh voters identifying it as one of their top three issues. This figure has declined slightly from 63% in the previous poll, indicating some minor erosion in salience but still firmly holding its place as the most important issue. The issue cuts across demographic lines but some patterns remain stable.

Labour (66%), Green (77%) and Plaid Cymru (73%) voters continue to prioritise the NHS most heavily, suggesting that parties on the left are most associated with defending public services. By contrast, only 42% of Reform UK and 56% of Conservative supporters listed the NHS as a top issue, substantially below the average, highlighting how their priorities lie elsewhere.

Age is another dividing line: 74% of voters aged 55-64 and 59% of those aged 65+ selected the NHS, compared to just 55% of 25–34-year-olds. This reflects broader concerns among older voters about waiting lists, access to care and the sustainability of the Welsh health system. However, surprisingly those aged 18-24 rate the NHS as their top concern which is higher than those aged 65+, showing that even the youngest and fittest in Welsh society have concerns over the state of the NHS.

#### The Economy: Key to Conservative and Reform Supporters

The economy remains the second most important issue for Welsh voters overall, with 57% placing it in their top three, a 3% increase from 54% in the previous poll. This is a unifying issue in many ways, with high levels of concern across party and age groups.

Support is strongest among Conservative (63%) and Reform UK voters (64%) who are particularly focused on issues of inflation, taxation and economic growth. Labour voters also rate the economy highly (59%), though this figure is notably lower than among right-wing voters, perhaps reflecting greater confidence in the current government’s management or a shift in attention toward public services.

Interestingly, younger voters are slightly less likely to prioritise the economy, with only 45% of 18–24-year-olds citing it as a top issue compared to 62% of those aged 55–64. This suggests that older voters, many of whom are concerned about pensions, cost of living and public debt are more focused on macroeconomic stability than younger generations. With voters going into “Awful April” seeing their bills and taxes increase, it’ll be interesting to monitor the change in voters priorities in next months poll.

#### Immigration: The Issue That Most Divides the Electorate

Immigration is one of the most polarising issues in Wales today, ranked third overall with 38% of voters listing it as a top concern, up from 32% in the previous poll. Among Reform UK supporters, an overwhelming 86% identify immigration as one of their key issues, compared to just 23% of Labour and 20% of Plaid Cymru voters.

This stark contrast demonstrates how the issue is driving the growth of right-wing support in Wales. Immigration is also more important to male voters (44%) than female voters (31%), and more popular among middle-aged voters aged 45–54 (51%) than among the younger demographics (30% of those aged 24-35).

The continued salience of immigration as a dividing issue reflects wider anxieties about border control, asylum policy and national identity, areas where Reform UK has been particularly vocal. The fact that immigration is now polling higher than housing, education and the environment shows the success of right-leaning narratives in shaping parts of the Welsh electorate. With Labour announcing the return of 24,000 people who have “no right to be here”, it’s clear that immigration will remain at the forefront of the political agenda and the government’s actions will be monitored closely.

#### Environment and Welfare: Rising Concerns

The battle for the next most important issue is on but in a subtle shift since the last poll, the environment and benefits/welfare have both overtaken housing to become the fourth most important concerns, each polling at 18%. This represents a stable figure for the environment but an increase for welfare issues, which stood at 15% last month.

Support for environmental issues is most concentrated among younger voters and Green Party supporters. An overwhelming 75% of Green voters selected the environment as a top issue, compared to just 3% of Reform UK supporters. Among 35–44-year-olds, 19% listed it as a key concern, slightly ahead of other groups. This suggests that the environment continues to be a key differentiator between left and right, and its continued importance could help consolidate the progressive vote.

Benefits and welfare also resonate most with Labour (23%) and Plaid Cymru (17%) supporters. Among age groups, 30% of 45–54-year-olds selected it as a top issue, the highest across all brackets. This concern is likely driven by ongoing cost-of-living pressures and the impact of benefit reforms on working-class communities, especially in light of the government’s recent £5bn welfare cuts which has fuelled anxiety amongst some voters. [\[1\]](/research/voter-priorities-in-wales-nhs-economy-and-immigration-still-dominate-while-environment-and-welfare-overtake-housing)

That these two issues have now overtaken housing (17%) reflects a subtle change in public sentiment. While housing remains important, its urgency has eased slightly in recent weeks, likely due to a lack of policy movement or shifting media focus.

#### A Fragmented Electorate With Evolving Priorities

The latest polling underscores the dynamic nature of public opinion in Wales. The NHS and economy remain the top two concerns but beneath them, the political terrain is shifting. The rise of the environment and welfare over housing reveals evolving public focus, particularly among younger and left-leaning voters, while immigration remains the issue most capable of energising the right.

These findings highlight just how fractured the Welsh electorate is on the issues that matter most. Political parties will need to craft targeted, nuanced campaigns if they want to win over a public increasingly divided not just by party but by age, gender and values. With the Senedd election coming next year, understanding and responding to these evolving concerns will be essential for any party hoping to consolidate or expand its support.

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[\[1\]](/research/voter-priorities-in-wales-nhs-economy-and-immigration-still-dominate-while-environment-and-welfare-overtake-housing) Big Issue

Download the data tables for this poll.