Ceredigion Preseli: MP, 2024 result and local figures
Ceredigion Preseli is represented in the House of Commons by Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru). On 4 July 2024 Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru) won 21,738 votes, 46.9% of the valid vote; Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat) came second with 6,949. Turnout, counted as valid votes over the electorate, was 61.2% (46,302 of 75,690); the winning margin was 14,789 votes.
Key figures
What the figures show
On the official figures, Ceredigion Preseli has the 5th lowest population density (2021) of the 575 constituencies with this figure (38.4 per sq km).
Ceredigion Preseli had an estimated population of 95,329 in mid-2024, against 97,444 in 2014 (ONS). The estimate peaked at 98,646 in 2012. There were more residents aged 65 and over (26,080) than children under 16 (13,416).
6,220 business sites were registered in Ceredigion Preseli in March 2026 (6,190 a year before), and employed 33,000 people in 2024.
Full-time employees living in Ceredigion Preseli had median pay of £34,887 a year in April 2025; for jobs based in the constituency the median was £32,658. A year before, the residents' median was £34,997. The residents' figure ranks 140th lowest of 632 constituencies with an estimate. The latest year is provisional.
72.0% of residents aged 16 to 64 were in work in April 2025 to March 2026, on the Annual Population Survey estimate (95% confidence interval ±6.2 points). The economically inactive share was 19.7%.
Homes in Ceredigion Preseli sold for a median £225,026 in the year to March 2026, from HM Land Registry records compiled by the ONS. That is up 32% on £169,950 ten years before. The highest March-year median in the series was £249,999, in the year to March 2023. It ranks 159th lowest of 575 constituencies. The figure rests on 1,070 recorded sales.
In 2024/25, 28.4% of children under 16 in Ceredigion Preseli (3,804) lived in relative low income families once housing costs are taken off, says the DWP; the UK figure is 26.0%. Before housing costs the share was 24.2% in 2024/25, from 22.4% in 2021/22.
At the 2021 Census there were 40,895 households and 38.4 residents per square kilometre; 31.7% of workers mainly worked from home and 28.4% of residents aged 16 and over were retired.
1,540 people were claiming unemployment-related benefits in September 2026, 2.8% of residents aged 16 to 64. That is up from 1,380 twelve months before.
MP
Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru
- MP for Ceredigion Preseli since 4 July 2024
- In the House of Commons since 8 June 2017
Official UK Parliament page · Statements by Ben Lake on this site
In Parliament
The 5 most recent spoken contributions by Ben Lake in Hansard, from 12 October 2026 to 20 October 2026, quoted from the official report. Hansard search returns 125 spoken contributions by Ben Lake since 4 July 2024.
I congratulate the hon. Member on securing this debate. Does he agree that such a consultative process might well come about from a Bill that my noble Friend, Baroness Smith of Llanfaes, has introduced to the second Chamber?
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
I congratulate the Minister not only on the statement, but specifically on the creation of a national care service. It will undoubtedly have a transformational impact on so many people.
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
Almost three quarters of homes in Ceredigion Preseli do not have a connection to the mains gas network, meaning that they rely on oil and liquefied petroleum gas for their heating and cooking. Further to the point made by the hon.
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
I congratulate the hon. Lady on her fantastic speech and on emphasising the importance of coach operators across the country.
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
I commend the Prime Minister for his statement and specifically for his acknowledgment of the significant harm that Brexit has wrought on our communities. I welcome his desire for a serious conversation about the long-term relationship with the European Union.
Read in Hansard (opening words; the full contribution is longer)
Read from the Hansard API on 27 October 2026. Up to two items per debate; remarks under 40 characters are left out. All contributions in Hansard.
General election, 4 July 2024
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share | Change in share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Lake | Plaid Cymru | 21,738 | 46.9% | +15.9 |
| Mark Williams | Liberal Democrat | 6,949 | 15.0% | +0.4 |
| Jackie Jones | Labour | 5,386 | 11.6% | −9.1 |
| Karl Pollard | Reform UK | 5,374 | 11.6% | +7.6 |
| Aled Thomas | Conservative | 4,763 | 10.3% | −18.0 |
| Tomos Barlow | Green Party | 1,864 | 4.0% | +2.7 |
| Taghrid Al-Mawed | Workers Party of Britain | 228 | 0.5% |
Result summary as published: PC hold. Change in share is in percentage points against the notional 2019 result on the new boundaries. Source: House of Commons Library, election results (data, read 14 October 2026).
Results on these boundaries
| Date | Election | First | Second | Majority | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 July 2024 | General election | Plaid Cymru 47.0% | Liberal Democrat 15.0% | 14,789 | 61.2% |
| 12 December 2019 | General election (notional result on these boundaries) | Plaid Cymru 31.1% | Conservative 28.3% | 1,443 | 69.8% |
Only results on the constituency boundaries first used at the 2024 general election are shown. The 2019 figures are the House of Commons Library's notional estimates of how votes cast in 2019 would have fallen on these boundaries, not a result that was declared. Source: House of Commons Library, constituency results.
Councils
Ceredigion Preseli covers wards in 2 local authority areas, listed by the number of wards in the constituency.
- Ceredigion W06000008
- Pembrokeshire W06000009
Who has power over Ceredigion Preseli
Every body that makes decisions for Ceredigion Preseli, from the street up to the G20. Each one links to its page on the official record. How the ten levels work.
Level 1: Neighbourhood and community power
Residents' and tenants' groups, neighbourhood forums and local policing panels.
Level 2: Parish, town and community councils
Parish, town and community councils, where the area has them, sit below the council.
Level 4: County councils, combined authorities and metro mayors
- Dyfed-Powys Police police force
- Hywel Dda University Health Board NHS
Level 5: Devolved and state governments
- Senedd and Welsh Government makes law for Wales on devolved subjects
Level 6: National government
- Ceredigion Preseli this page: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru) MP
- All 650 MPs votes, interests and costs
- UK government and Parliament official figures and sources
Level 7: Regional blocs and supranational bodies
- Council of Europe and the European Court of Human Rights (CoE / ECtHR) The UK Government says the United Kingdom was one of the Council of Europe's founding members.
Level 8: The UN and global treaty bodies
- United Nations (General Assembly and Security Council) The UN lists the United Kingdom as a member admitted on 24 October 1945.
- United Nations Security Council (UNSC) The UK is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and holds the veto, according to the UN.
- NATO NATO lists the United Kingdom among its 12 founding members, which signed the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington, D.C.
- World Health Organization (WHO) WHO's list of member states includes the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO says the United Kingdom has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 1 January 1948.
- Commonwealth of Nations The UK is one of the 56 members, one of three European members with Cyprus and Malta, and the Commonwealth Secretariat is headquartered at Marlborough House in London.
Level 9: The IMF, World Bank and global finance
- International Monetary Fund (IMF) The UK has been a member since 27 December 1945 and has a quota of SDR 20,155.1 million (IMF country page for the United Kingdom).
- World Bank Group (WBG) The UK holds 3.75% of voting power in the IBRD (data as of 30 June 2026) and 6.92% in IDA (as of 30 June 2026), according to the World Bank's voting tables.
Level 10: G7, G20, Davos and global forums
Sources
| Figure | Period | Publisher | Read | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | mid-2024 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Claimants as a share of residents aged 16 to 64 | September 2026 | ONS | 29 October 2026 | data · area |
| Claimant count | September 2026 | ONS | 29 October 2026 | data · area |
| Employment rate, aged 16 to 64 | April 2025 to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Median full-time pay of residents | April 2025 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Median full-time pay of people working here | April 2025 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Median house price | the year to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Homes sold | the year to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Children in relative low income families, after housing costs | 2024/25 | DWP | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Children in relative low income families, before housing costs | 2024/25 | DWP | 14 October 2026 | data · release |
| Business sites (local units) | March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| People employed by businesses here | 2024 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Economically inactive, aged 16 to 64 | April 2025 to March 2026 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Households | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Residents per square kilometre | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Workers mainly working from home | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
| Residents aged 16+ who are retired | Census 2021 | ONS | 14 October 2026 | data · area |
"Data" is the file or query each figure was read from (its SHA-256 is in the link title); "area" shows the same table for this constituency alone.
Common questions
Who is the MP for Ceredigion Preseli?
UK Parliament lists Ben Lake, Plaid Cymru, as the Member of Parliament for Ceredigion Preseli since the July 2024 general election.
What was the 2024 general election result in Ceredigion Preseli?
Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru) won with 21,738 votes, a majority of 14,789, on a turnout of 61.2% (House of Commons Library).
What is the unemployment claimant rate in Ceredigion Preseli?
2.8% of residents aged 16 to 64 in September 2026, 1,540 people, on the ONS claimant count.
What is the average house price in Ceredigion Preseli?
The median price paid was £225,026 in the year to March 2026 (ONS, from HM Land Registry sales).
What is the average salary in Ceredigion Preseli?
Median full-time pay of residents was £34,887 a year in April 2025 (ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings).
How many children in Ceredigion Preseli live in low income families?
DWP counts 3,804 (28.4% of under-16s) in relative low income after housing costs for 2024/25.
What is the population of Ceredigion Preseli?
The ONS estimate for mid-2024 is 95,329 residents.
Built 14 October 2026 from official records; how these pages are compiled. This page lists what the record shows and gives no verdict on the MP or the area. Link moved or figure wrong? Tell us.