The Wellbeing of Wales: 2026 report, which also showed a record 18.1 year healthy life expectancy gap for men, prompted Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Derek Walker, to repeat his call for ringfenced, year-on-year increases in prevention funding.

Walker said: ‘Investing in prevention means in addition to support for all people to maintain and improve their health, investing in warm homes, clean air, a vibrant environment, healthy, accessible food, fair work and public services working together to remove the barriers that stand in people's way.'

The report showed Wales' healthy life expectancy fell for the fourth consecutive reporting period, with women expected to live just 58.5 years in good health, compared with 59.2 for men.

Mental well-being is also in decline with only 18.3% engaging in physical activity for at least an hour a day.

Walker called for prevention to become a shared responsibility across Welsh Government and public services – with the aim of improving long-term well-being, reducing inequalities and easing pressure on already stretched services across the country.

The Commissioner's other recommendations included Wales becoming the first Marmot nation, reducing health inequity, extending the Real Living Wage and more equitable access to food.

A first-of-its-kind prevention budgeting tool developed by the Commissioner's team will launch on 22 October to help public bodies better understand how much they spend on preventing problems before they arise.