Welsh speakers in Cardiff at record number, council says

BBC Published Jun 29, 2026 Reviewed Jul 3, 2026 ✓ Reviewed by citations.press editors

In December 2025, 26.4% of people in Cardiff could speak Welsh, up from 23.8% in June 2023, equating to 96,800 people — the highest figure for any local authority in Wales.

23.8 % · people in Cardiff who can speak Welsh26.4 % · people in Cardiff who can speak Welsh96800 · people in Cardiff who can speak Welsh Chris Weaver, city's council leader

Cardiff Council exceeded many targets set in its five-year Welsh language strategy a year early.

1 year · time by which Welsh language strategy targets were exceeded Chris Weaver, city's council leader

Chris Weaver stated that the number of people in Cardiff who can speak Welsh rose from 23.8% in June 2023 to 26.4% in December 2025.

23.8 % · people speaking Welsh26.4 % · people speaking Welsh Chris Weaver, council leader

Chris Weaver stated that 26.4% of people speaking Welsh is equivalent to 96,800 people in Cardiff, which he said was the highest figure for any local authority in Wales.

96800 people · Welsh speakers Chris Weaver, council leader

In September 2025, 19.5% of primary school pupils in Cardiff were allocated places in reception at Welsh-medium schools.

19.5 % · primary school pupils allocated places in reception at Welsh-medium schools

There are more Welsh speakers than ever before in Cardiff, the city's council leader has said.

The number of people in Wales' capital who can speak the language rose from 23.8% in June 2023 to 26.4% in December 2025, Chris Weaver told a meeting on Thursday.

That is the equivalent of 96,800 people in the city, which Weaver said was "the highest figure now for any local authority in Wales".

A report presented to the full council on Thursday also said 19.5% of primary school pupils were allocated places in reception at Welsh-medium schools in September 2025.

Bethan Proctor, the Labour council's cabinet member for social justice, cohesion and digital, said: "When the Welsh language flourishes so to does our culture, our confidence and our uniqueness as a nation."

Weaver said: "Cardiff council has exceeded many targets that were set in the five-year Welsh language strategy a year early."

Despite the praise, some members of the city's Liberal Democrat group questioned whether the number of Welsh-medium schools were sufficient.

"The council must be far more proactive in supplying Welsh-medium education," Lib Dem councillor Rhys Taylor said.

"We must continue with the immersion [of Welsh language] in English-medium schools to move them along the language continuum."

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