Researchers at Cardiff University have uncovered widespread public confusion about who is responsible for key policy decisions in Wales.
A new survey found low awareness of devolved powers, limited recognition of Welsh party leaders and little understanding of the Senedd's new voting system.
Conducted with YouGov, the representative poll of 1,544 people in Wales (fieldwork: 12-24 February 2026) shows many voters remain unsure whether responsibilities sit with the Welsh or Westminster governments. Academics say the findings raise urgent questions about how the public access and interpret political information in the run‑up to May's Senedd election.
The study highlights especially low knowledge of who is responsible for policing, where nearly seven in ten people either answered incorrectly or did not know that it is under the control of the Westminster Government - not the Welsh Government.
It also reveals that around a third of respondents still don't know that health and education are devolved to the Welsh Government - policy areas central to day‑to‑day public services.
Lead researcher Professor Stephen Cushion, based at the University's School of Journalism, Media and Culture, said: "Which government is in charge of policing stands out as a major knowledge gap. Almost seven in ten respondents could not correctly identify who is responsible, and nearly half assumed it was devolved to the Welsh Government when it is not.
"Just as striking, just under a third of people remain unsure that health and education are devolved. During an election period, these gaps matter for democratic accountability because people need to make a well-informed decision about who will be running Wales over the next few years."
Key findings on devolved powers
- Policing: 69% were wrong or didn't know who is responsible; 45% mistakenly attributed it to the Welsh Government, while 31% correctly identified Westminster.
- Broadcasting: 58% misidentified or didn't know; 42% correctly said Westminster.
- Economic development: 51% were unclear; 49% correctly named the Welsh Government and 30% incorrectly said Westminster.
- Social care delivery: Knowledge was weakest: 81% were incorrect or unsure; only 19% correctly identified local councils as responsible.
Awareness was stronger - but not universal - in higher profile public policies:
- Education: 70% correctly said Welsh Government; 30% incorrect/don't know.
- Health and social care: 69% correctly said Welsh Government; 32% incorrect/don't know.
- Transport: 65% correctly said Welsh Government; 35% incorrect/don't know.
- Immigration: 71% correctly said Westminster; 29% incorrect/don't know.
Although most people can identify responsibilities in the most visible and high profile policy areas, the persistence of a sizeable minority who are unsure - particularly on education and health - shows why it is important for the news media to provide clear signposting of devolved and reserved powers when reporting politics across the UK.
Knowledge of party leaders
Eluned Morgan (Welsh Labour) is known by 62% of survey participants, while Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) is recognised by 47%. Awareness of other leaders is markedly lower: Darren Millar (Welsh Conservatives) 21%, Jane Dodds (Welsh Liberal Democrats) 18%, Anthony Slaughter (Wales Green Party) 4%. Nigel Farage (Reform UK) is almost universally recognised (94%). Dan Thomas, Reform's new leader in Wales, is known by 10%.
Understanding the new Senedd voting system
Ahead of May's election, knowledge of the electoral system is low. Only 7% correctly identified the Closed List system, while 18% thought it was First Past the Post, 13% chose the Additional Member System, 4% the Single Transferable Vote, and a majority (58%) said they didn't know.
Media use and implications
Despite over 25 years of devolution, UK‑wide outlets remain the primary news source for many in Wales: 46% rely on UK news most often, compared with 10% who mainly use Wales‑produced news; 34% say they use both equally and 10% are unsure. Online habits show a similar pattern (53% mainly UK‑wide sites vs. 14% Wales‑produced).
When presented with real‑world examples in online and social media posts, respondents struggled to place stories in the correct constitutional context - misreading an England‑only junior doctors' strike as UK‑wide and rarely selecting the correct combination of governments for housing and fracking responsibilities.
Public evaluations of UK‑wide coverage of Welsh politics are more negative than positive: 46% said UK‑wide outlets do a bad job, 28% a good job, and 26% were unsure.
Professor Cushion commented: "The survey underlines the importance of robust reporting on the constitutional lines between Wales and Westminster to ensure audiences in Wales can distinguish between the two. Clearer labelling - especially on policing, and consistently on health and education - would help voters match party promises to the right tier of government this May."
About the study
- All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,544 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 12th - 25th February 2026. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Welsh adults (aged 16+).
- Funding: The research was funded by the Welsh Government via Creative Wales. The AHRC's "Enhancing the Impartiality of Political News" project supported the analysis.
