Local authority in London, England
Merton
In Merton, benefit spending per resident was lower than in 95% of local authorities in 2024-25.
At a glance
How does Merton compare?
We divide each type of spending by the people it is for. A rank of 1 is the highest of the local authorities in Great Britain. Money is in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation.
All benefits
£3,406£3,420£3,231
per resident, 2024-251-11
333rd of 348, lower than in 95% of local authorities
Great Britain: £4,441£4,460£4,212
Pensioner benefits
£12,347£12,399£11,711
per person aged 66 and over, 2024-251-3, 6, 8-11
317th of 347, lower than in 91% of local authorities
Great Britain: £12,728£12,782£12,073
Working-age benefits
£1,819£1,827£1,725
per person aged 16 to 64, 2024-251-3, 7, 9-11
194th of 350, lower than in 55% of local authorities
Great Britain: £2,093£2,102£1,985
Show the numbers
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benefit spending, per resident, 2024-25 | £3,406£3,420£3,231 | 333rd of 348 | £4,441£4,460£4,212 |
| Spending on pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £12,347£12,399£11,711 | 317th of 347 | £12,728£12,782£12,073 |
| Spending on working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £1,819£1,827£1,725 | 194th of 350 | £2,093£2,102£1,985 |
Spending by benefit, 2024-25
Where does Merton's benefit money go?
People here received £749.3 million£752.5 million£710.8 million in benefits in 2024-25, in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation. Each square is £1 million.1-11
- State Pension£294.1m£295.4m£279.0m39%
- Pension Credit£23.9m£24.0m£22.7m3%
- Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment£16.6m£16.7m£15.8m2%
- Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment£0.92m£0.93m£0.88m0.1%
- Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment£57.3m£57.5m£54.3m8%
- Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment£20.2m£20.3m£19.2m3%
- Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment£9.8m£9.8m£9.3m1%
- Universal Credit£237.9m£238.9m£225.6m32%
- Housing Benefit£62.2m£62.4m£59.0m8%
- Employment and Support Allowance£23.2m£23.3m£22.0m3%
- Jobseeker's Allowance£1.3m£1.3m£1.3m0.2%
- Income Support£0.61m£0.61m£0.58m0.1%
- Other benefits£1.3m£1.3m£1.2m0.2%
Show the numbers
| Benefit | Spending | Share | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension | £294.1m£295.4m£279.0m | 39% | Published |
| Pension Credit | £23.9m£24.0m£22.7m | 3% | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment | £16.6m£16.7m£15.8m | 2% | Published |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment | £0.92m£0.93m£0.88m | 0.1% | Published |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment | £57.3m£57.5m£54.3m | 8% | Published |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment | £20.2m£20.3m£19.2m | 3% | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment | £9.8m£9.8m£9.3m | 1% | Published |
| Universal Credit | £237.9m£238.9m£225.6m | 32% | Published |
| Housing Benefit | £62.2m£62.4m£59.0m | 8% | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowance | £23.2m£23.3m£22.0m | 3% | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowance | £1.3m£1.3m£1.3m | 0.2% | Published |
| Income Support | £0.61m£0.61m£0.58m | 0.1% | Published |
| Other benefits | £1.3m£1.3m£1.2m | 0.2% | Published |
| All benefits | £749.3m£752.5m£710.8m | 100% | Total |
More about Merton
How has it changed over time?
Trends
Spending and claims over time
Each small chart starts at zero and has its own scale. Spending is in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation. Dotted years are estimates. A dashed line marks a change to boundaries or methods.1-13
Spending per person in the age group
All benefits
per resident
£3,406£3,420£3,2312024-25
2010-112024-25
Pensioner benefits
per person aged 66 and over
£12,347£12,399£11,7112024-25
2010-112024-25
Working-age benefits
per person aged 16 to 64
£1,819£1,827£1,7252024-25
2010-112024-25
State Pension
per person aged 66 and over
£10,821£10,867£10,2642024-25
2010-112024-25
Pension Credit
per person aged 66 and over
£880£884£8352024-25
2010-112024-25
Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment
per person aged 66 and over
£612£614£5802024-25
2010-112024-25
Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment
per person aged 66 and over
£34£34£322024-25
2010-112024-25
Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment
per resident
£260£261£2472024-25
2013-142024-25
Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment
per resident
£92£92£872024-25
2010-112024-25
Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment
per person aged 16 to 64
£65£66£622024-25
2010-112024-25
Universal Credit
per person aged 16 to 64
£1,586£1,593£1,5042024-25
2019-202024-25
Housing Benefit
per resident
£283£284£2682024-25
2010-112024-25
Employment and Support Allowance
per person aged 16 to 64
£155£156£1472024-25
2010-112024-25
Jobseeker's Allowance
per person aged 16 to 64
£8.86£8.89£8.402024-25
2010-112024-25
Income Support
per person aged 16 to 64
£4.08£4.10£3.872024-25
2010-112024-25
Other benefits
per resident
£5.78£5.80£5.482024-25
2010-112024-25
Show the numbers
| Measure | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All benefits, per resident | £2,613£2,714£1,718 | £2,659£2,700£1,783 | £2,689£2,706£1,834 | £2,633£2,640£1,831 | £2,644£2,659£1,863 | £2,604£2,630£1,845 | £2,505£2,553£1,810 | £2,471£2,479£1,808 | £2,381£2,388£1,781 | £2,675£2,707£2,053 | £3,058£3,233£2,468 | £3,078£3,143£2,494 | £2,986£2,965£2,589 | £3,193£3,158£2,914 | £3,406£3,420£3,231 |
| Pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over | £13,307£13,819£8,748 | £13,436£13,648£9,012 | £13,727£13,813£9,360 | £13,422£13,460£9,332 | £13,276£13,351£9,354 | £13,240£13,372£9,379 | £12,860£13,105£9,293 | £12,734£12,773£9,314 | £12,579£12,617£9,407 | £12,191£12,338£9,358 | £11,808£12,483£9,528 | £11,800£12,049£9,562 | £11,714£11,633£10,158 | £12,284£12,150£11,212 | £12,347£12,399£11,711 |
| Working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 64 | £445£462£292 | £462£469£310 | £479£482£327 | £467£468£325 | £461£463£325 | £460£465£326 | £426£434£308 | £412£413£301 | £368£369£275 | £931£942£715 | £1,590£1,680£1,283 | £1,597£1,631£1,294 | £1,481£1,471£1,284 | £1,605£1,588£1,465 | £1,819£1,827£1,725 |
| State Pension, per person aged 66 and over | £10,649£11,059£7,001 | £10,952£11,125£7,346 | £11,345£11,417£7,736 | £11,219£11,250£7,800 | £11,187£11,249£7,882 | £11,228£11,340£7,954 | £10,954£11,163£7,916 | £10,900£10,934£7,973 | £10,797£10,830£8,075 | £10,478£10,604£8,043 | £10,181£10,764£8,216 | £10,224£10,440£8,285 | £9,923£9,855£8,605 | £10,435£10,322£9,524 | £10,821£10,867£10,264 |
| Pension Credit, per person aged 66 and over | £1,522£1,581£1,001 | £1,455£1,478£976 | £1,363£1,371£929 | £1,242£1,246£864 | £1,162£1,168£819 | £1,095£1,106£776 | £1,032£1,051£745 | £979£982£716 | £943£946£705 | £894£905£686 | £860£909£694 | £826£844£670 | £804£799£698 | £845£836£771 | £880£884£835 |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment, per person aged 66 and over | £668£694£439 | £672£683£451 | £676£680£461 | £635£637£442 | £618£622£436 | £620£626£439 | £595£606£430 | £586£587£428 | £584£586£437 | £580£587£445 | £543£574£438 | £530£541£429 | £519£516£450 | £558£552£509 | £612£614£580 |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, per person aged 66 and over | £468£486£307 | £357£362£239 | £343£345£234 | £326£327£227 | £309£311£218 | £297£300£210 | £280£285£202 | £268£269£196 | £255£255£190 | £239£242£184 | £223£236£180 | £220£225£178 | £467£464£405 | £446£441£407 | £34£34£32 |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment, per resident | £1.86£1.86£1.29 | £13£13£9.16 | £30£30£21 | £55£57£40 | £96£96£70 | £117£118£88 | £137£139£105 | £160£169£129 | £178£182£144 | £194£193£168 | £226£224£207 | £260£261£247 | |||
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Payment, per resident | £169£175£111 | £178£181£119 | £183£185£125 | £181£181£126 | £177£178£124 | £173£174£122 | £150£153£109 | £123£123£90 | £109£109£81 | £96£97£74 | £84£89£68 | £84£86£68 | £82£82£71 | £88£87£80 | £92£92£87 |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment, per person aged 16 to 64 | £37£38£24 | £42£42£28 | £44£44£30 | £47£47£32 | £50£50£35 | £53£54£38 | £53£54£38 | £55£55£40 | £58£59£44 | £60£61£46 | £59£62£48 | £59£60£48 | £58£58£50 | £61£60£55 | £65£66£62 |
| Universal Credit, per person aged 16 to 64 | £608£615£467 | £1,274£1,347£1,028 | £1,317£1,345£1,068 | £1,229£1,220£1,065 | £1,364£1,349£1,245 | £1,586£1,593£1,504 | |||||||||
| Housing Benefit, per resident | £603£626£396 | £625£635£419 | £645£649£440 | £639£641£444 | £668£672£471 | £624£630£442 | £575£586£416 | £537£538£393 | £473£474£354 | £398£402£305 | £357£378£288 | £329£336£267 | £290£288£252 | £292£288£266 | £283£284£268 |
| Employment and Support Allowance, per person aged 16 to 64 | £54£56£36 | £86£88£58 | £160£161£109 | £218£219£152 | £258£260£182 | £279£282£198 | £272£277£196 | £269£270£197 | £250£251£187 | £224£226£172 | £206£217£166 | £195£199£158 | £173£172£150 | £163£162£149 | £155£156£147 |
| Jobseeker's Allowance, per person aged 16 to 64 | £126£131£83 | £139£141£93 | £137£138£93 | £115£115£80 | £85£86£60 | £68£69£48 | £52£53£37 | £43£43£31 | £25£25£19 | £14£15£11 | £33£34£26 | £12£12£9.87 | £7.21£7.16£6.25 | £7.49£7.41£6.84 | £8.86£8.89£8.40 |
| Income Support, per person aged 16 to 64 | £228£236£150 | £195£198£131 | £138£139£94 | £88£88£61 | £67£68£48 | £59£60£42 | £49£50£36 | £45£45£33 | £35£35£26 | £25£25£19 | £19£20£15 | £14£14£11 | £14£14£12 | £9.73£9.62£8.88 | £4.08£4.10£3.87 |
| Other benefits, per resident | £89£93£59 | £79£80£53 | £58£58£39 | £37£37£26 | £23£23£16 | £15£15£11 | £12£12£8.61 | £10£10£7.56 | £9.56£9.59£7.15 | £9.65£9.77£7.41 | £8.91£9.42£7.19 | £6.11£6.24£4.95 | £6.61£6.56£5.73 | £5.24£5.18£4.78 | £5.78£5.80£5.48 |
People receiving benefits, per 1,000
State Pension
per 1,000 people aged 66 and over
989.4March 2026
May 2025March 2026
Pension Credit
per 1,000 people aged 66 and over
133.5March 2026
May 2025March 2026
Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment
per 1,000 people aged 66 and over
127.2March 2026
May 2025March 2026
Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment
per 1,000 residents
40.5July 2026
July 2025July 2026
Universal Credit
per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64
156.7May 2026
May 2025May 2026
Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment
per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64
14.7March 2026
May 2025March 2026
Benefits and income tax
for each £1 of income tax
£0.302023-24
2010-112023-24
Show the numbers
| Measure | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | May 2025 | July 2025 | August 2025 | October 2025 | November 2025 | January 2026 | February 2026 | March 2026 | April 2026 | May 2026 | July 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pension, per 1,000 people aged 66 and over | 963.5 | 973.8 | 980.2 | 989.4 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Pension Credit, per 1,000 people aged 66 and over | 133.0 | 131.9 | 133.1 | 133.5 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Payment, per 1,000 people aged 66 and over | 118.8 | 123.4 | 125.5 | 127.2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Payment, per 1,000 residents | 37.1 | 37.9 | 38.4 | 39.7 | 40.5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Universal Credit, per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64 | 150.1 | 154.2 | 157.7 | 157.6 | 156.7 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Payment, per 1,000 people aged 16 to 64 | 13.8 | 14.1 | 14.4 | 14.7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Benefits and income tax, for each £1 of income tax | £0.31 | £0.32 | £0.35 | £0.32 | £0.35 | £0.31 | £0.28 | £0.27 | £0.26 | £0.31 | £0.34 | £0.30 | £0.28 | £0.30 |
Is spending what you would expect?
Compared with similar areas
Spending compared with the expected level
We work out an expected level of spending from the share of children and of people aged 66 and over, how deprived the area is, typical pay and which nation it is in. This compares the area with similar areas. It does not measure need.
Each bar starts at the expected level. A bar reaches the edge when the difference is larger than in 98% of local authorities.
All benefits, per resident1-11, 14-17
Actual £3,406£3,420£3,231Expected £3,522£3,537£3,341Difference −£116−£117−£110
Benefit spending per resident was £116 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Benefit spending per resident was £117 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Benefit spending per resident was £110 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay. Across all local authorities, these factors explain 87% of the differences in this measure.
Pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over1-3, 6, 8-11, 14-17
Actual £12,347£12,399£11,711Expected £12,764£12,819£12,107Difference −£418−£419−£396
Spending on pensioner benefits per person aged 66 and over was £418 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on pensioner benefits per person aged 66 and over was £419 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on pensioner benefits per person aged 66 and over was £396 below the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay. Across all local authorities, these factors explain 35% of the differences in this measure.
Working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 641-3, 7, 9-11, 14-17
Actual £1,819£1,827£1,725Expected £1,765£1,772£1,674Difference +£54+£55+£52
Spending on working-age benefits per person aged 16 to 64 was £54 above the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on working-age benefits per person aged 16 to 64 was £55 above the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay.Spending on working-age benefits per person aged 16 to 64 was £52 above the level we would expect from age, deprivation and pay. Across all local authorities, these factors explain 85% of the differences in this measure.
The expected level comes from one statistical model across all areas of the same type. It uses ages, deprivation within each nation, typical pay and nation, and the methods page lists its figures. The difference compares an area only with areas that are similar on these measures. Rents, disability, household make-up and how many eligible people claim are not in the model, so the difference does not measure need.
How we work out the expected level
Show the numbers
| Measure | Actual | Expected | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| All benefits, per resident | £3,406£3,420£3,231 | £3,522£3,537£3,341 | −£116−£117−£110 |
| Pensioner benefits, per person aged 66 and over | £12,347£12,399£11,711 | £12,764£12,819£12,107 | −£418−£419−£396 |
| Working-age benefits, per person aged 16 to 64 | £1,819£1,827£1,725 | £1,765£1,772£1,674 | +£54+£55+£52 |
How much income tax do residents pay?
Income tax only
Benefit spending and income tax paid by residents
In 2023-24, people in Merton received £0.30 in benefits for each £1 of income tax that residents paid. Both figures are per resident, for the same tax year, 2023-24. Income tax is only one tax. There are no area figures for National Insurance, VAT or council tax.
- Benefit spending, per resident
- £3,193£3,158£2,914
- Benefits for each £1 of income tax1-8, 12-13
- £0.30
- 337th of 346, lower than in 97% of local authorities
Income tax only. There are no area figures for National Insurance, VAT, council tax or other taxes.
HMRC estimates income tax by area from a sample survey, the Survey of Personal Incomes, based on where taxpayers live. Figures for small areas are less certain, and HMRC does not publish some of them.
Spending and income tax are for the same year. Constituency income tax on the 2024 boundaries is only published for 2023-24.
Who lives here?
Profile
Deprivation and age
England, Wales and Scotland each measure deprivation in their own way. So we compare Merton only with other areas in England.
Residents by age, mid-2024
- Aged 0 to 1540,95719%
- Aged 16 to 64149,99068%
- Aged 651,8950.9%
- Aged 66 and over27,17812%
- All residents220,020100%
Which conditions are disability benefits paid for?
Disability benefit, July 2026
Personal Independence Payment by main condition
8,910 people in Merton receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP). This shows the main condition each person has, compared with England and Wales. Every bar uses the same scale.3
Psychiatric disorders
42%
England and Wales: 39%
Musculoskeletal disease (general)
14%
England and Wales: 19%
Neurological disease
13%
England and Wales: 13%
Musculoskeletal disease (regional)
11%
England and Wales: 12%
Respiratory disease
3%
England and Wales: 4%
Malignant disease
4%
England and Wales: 3%
Cardiovascular disease
3%
England and Wales: 3%
Other condition groups (14)
10%
England and Wales: 8%
People receiving Personal Independence Payment, by the main condition recorded at their assessment, in the groups DWP uses. Stat-Xplore changes small counts slightly to protect privacy, so the groups can add up to a few people more or less than the area's total. The comparison is with England and Wales, because Scotland has no figures by area.
Show the numbers
| Condition group | People | Share | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychiatric disorders | 3,751 | 42% | 39% |
| Musculoskeletal disease (general) | 1,287 | 14% | 19% |
| Neurological disease | 1,133 | 13% | 13% |
| Musculoskeletal disease (regional) | 962 | 11% | 12% |
| Respiratory disease | 271 | 3% | 4% |
| Malignant disease | 348 | 4% | 3% |
| Cardiovascular disease | 241 | 3% | 3% |
| Visual disease | 174 | 2% | 2% |
| Endocrine disease | 158 | 2% | 1% |
| Hearing disorders | 116 | 1% | 1% |
| Gastrointestinal disease | 80 | 0.9% | 1% |
| Genitourinary disease | 112 | 1% | 0.9% |
| Skin disease | 68 | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Autoimmune disease (connective tissue disorders) | 58 | 0.7% | 0.5% |
| Diseases of the liver, gallbladder, biliary tract | 35 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Infectious disease | 39 | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Haematological disease | 44 | 0.5% | 0.2% |
| Metabolic disease | 6 | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Unknown or missing | 10 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Multisystem and extremes of age | 11 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Diseases of the immune system | 6 | 0.1% | 0.0% |
Which areas are most like this one?
Similar areas
The 15 local authorities most like Merton
We match areas anywhere in Great Britain on age, deprivation, pay and how many people live in each square kilometre. We do not match on place or spending. A smaller score means more alike. Bars show all benefits per resident, 2024-25.
- MertonThis area£3,406£3,420£3,231
- Harrow0.76£3,835£3,852£3,638Compare
- Kingston upon Thames0.83£3,374£3,388£3,200Compare
- Bexley1.00£3,907£3,923£3,706Compare
- Barnet1.06£4,261£4,280£4,042Compare
- Reading1.21£3,289£3,303£3,120Compare
- Sutton1.22£3,684£3,700£3,495Compare
- Watford1.22£3,458£3,473£3,280Compare
- Croydon1.28£4,250£4,269£4,032Compare
- Havering1.34£3,989£4,006£3,783Compare
- Bromley1.40£3,927£3,943£3,725Compare
- Woking1.41£3,448£3,463£3,271Compare
- Redbridge1.43£3,567£3,583£3,384Compare
- Greenwich1.50£3,946£3,962£3,743Compare
- Hillingdon1.53£3,670£3,686£3,481Compare
- Waltham Forest1.54£3,836£3,852£3,639Compare
Show the numbers
| Area | Score | All benefits, per resident |
|---|---|---|
| Merton | £3,406£3,420£3,231 | |
| Harrow | 0.76 | £3,835£3,852£3,638 |
| Kingston upon Thames | 0.83 | £3,374£3,388£3,200 |
| Bexley | 1.00 | £3,907£3,923£3,706 |
| Barnet | 1.06 | £4,261£4,280£4,042 |
| Reading | 1.21 | £3,289£3,303£3,120 |
| Sutton | 1.22 | £3,684£3,700£3,495 |
| Watford | 1.22 | £3,458£3,473£3,280 |
| Croydon | 1.28 | £4,250£4,269£4,032 |
| Havering | 1.34 | £3,989£4,006£3,783 |
| Bromley | 1.40 | £3,927£3,943£3,725 |
| Woking | 1.41 | £3,448£3,463£3,271 |
| Redbridge | 1.43 | £3,567£3,583£3,384 |
| Greenwich | 1.50 | £3,946£3,962£3,743 |
| Hillingdon | 1.53 | £3,670£3,686£3,481 |
| Waltham Forest | 1.54 | £3,836£3,852£3,639 |
Which other areas overlap it?
Overlapping areas
The constituencies that overlap Merton
Each share is the part of Merton's residents who live in that area.
- Mitcham and Mordenconstituency58%
- Wimbledonconstituency42%
Every figure, in one table
Every figure
Every figure, with its rank
Every figure we publish for Merton, in total and per person. Each has its rank among the local authorities of Great Britain and the figure for Great Britain. Money is in 2026-27 prices2026-27 prices, using CPI inflationcash terms, not adjusted for inflation.
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £749.3m£752.5m£710.8m | 148th of 348 | £299.0bn£300.3bn£283.6bn | Published |
| All benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £3,406£3,420£3,231 | 333rd of 348 | £4,441£4,460£4,212 | Published |
| Pensioner benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £335.6m£337.0m£318.3m | 200th of 348 | £154.0bn£154.6bn£146.1bn | Published |
| Pensioner benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £1,525£1,532£1,447 | 319th of 348 | £2,287£2,297£2,170 | Published |
| Pensioner benefitsper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £12,347£12,399£11,711 | 317th of 347 | £12,728£12,782£12,073 | Published |
| Working-age benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £272.8m£274.0m£258.8m | 108th of 350 | £88.8bn£89.1bn£84.2bn | Published |
| Working-age benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £1,240£1,245£1,176 | 156th of 350 | £1,318£1,324£1,250 | Published |
| Working-age benefitsper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £1,819£1,827£1,725 | 194th of 350 | £2,093£2,102£1,985 | Published |
| State Pensiontotal, 2024-25 | £294.1m£295.4m£279.0m | 214th of 348 | £138.4bn£138.9bn£131.2bn | Published |
| State Pensionper resident, 2024-25 | £1,337£1,342£1,268 | 319th of 348 | £2,055£2,064£1,949 | Published |
| State Pensionper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £10,821£10,867£10,264 | 321st of 347 | £11,435£11,484£10,847 | Published |
| Pension Credittotal, 2024-25 | £23.9m£24.0m£22.7m | 81st of 350 | £6.3bn£6.4bn£6.0bn | Published |
| Pension Creditper resident, 2024-25 | £109£109£103 | 79th of 350 | £94£94£89 | Published |
| Pension Creditper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £880£884£835 | 37th of 349 | £523£525£496 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £16.6m£16.7m£15.8m | 238th of 350 | £9.0bn£9.0bn£8.5bn | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £76£76£72 | 331st of 350 | £133£134£126 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £612£614£580 | 287th of 349 | £741£744£703 | Published |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £0.92m£0.93m£0.88m | 136th of 350 | £346.1m£347.6m£328.3m | Published |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £4.20£4.21£3.98 | 235th of 350 | £5.14£5.17£4.88 | Published |
| Winter Fuel Payment and Pension Age Winter Heating Paymentper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | £34£34£32 | 87th of 349 | £29£29£27 | Published |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £57.3m£57.5m£54.3m | 195th of 350 | £30.4bn£30.5bn£28.9bn | Published |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £260£261£247 | 314th of 350 | £452£454£429 | Published |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £20.2m£20.3m£19.2m | 166th of 350 | £9.1bn£9.2bn£8.6bn | Published |
| Disability Living Allowance and Child Disability Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £92£92£87 | 322nd of 350 | £135£136£128 | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymenttotal, 2024-25 | £9.8m£9.8m£9.3m | 172nd of 350 | £4.9bn£4.9bn£4.6bn | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper resident, 2024-25 | £44£45£42 | 291st of 350 | £72£73£69 | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £65£66£62 | 307th of 350 | £115£115£109 | Published |
| Universal Credittotal, 2024-25 | £237.9m£238.9m£225.6m | 96th of 350 | £70.3bn£70.6bn£66.7bn | Published |
| Universal Creditper resident, 2024-25 | £1,081£1,086£1,025 | 122nd of 350 | £1,044£1,048£990 | Published |
| Universal Creditper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £1,586£1,593£1,504 | 153rd of 350 | £1,657£1,664£1,572 | Published |
| Housing Benefittotal, 2024-25 | £62.2m£62.4m£59.0m | 73rd of 350 | £16.3bn£16.4bn£15.5bn | Published |
| Housing Benefitper resident, 2024-25 | £283£284£268 | 50th of 350 | £242£243£230 | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowancetotal, 2024-25 | £23.2m£23.3m£22.0m | 196th of 350 | £13.0bn£13.0bn£12.3bn | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowanceper resident, 2024-25 | £106£106£100 | 312th of 350 | £193£193£183 | Published |
| Employment and Support Allowanceper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £155£156£147 | 330th of 350 | £306£307£290 | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowancetotal, 2024-25 | £1.3m | 77th of 350 | £329.6m£331.0m£312.7m | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowanceper resident, 2024-25 | £6.03£6.06£5.72 | 47th of 350 | £4.89£4.91£4.64 | Published |
| Jobseeker's Allowanceper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £8.86£8.89£8.40 | 74th of 350 | £7.77£7.80£7.37 | Published |
| Income Supporttotal, 2024-25 | £0.61m£0.61m£0.58m | 157th of 350 | £294.9m£296.2m£279.7m | Published |
| Income Supportper resident, 2024-25 | £2.78£2.80£2.64 | 240th of 350 | £4.38£4.39£4.15 | Published |
| Income Supportper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £4.08£4.10£3.87 | 262nd of 350 | £6.96£6.99£6.60 | Published |
| Other benefitstotal, 2024-25 | £1.3m£1.3m£1.2m | 111th of 350 | £414.2m£415.9m£392.9m | Published |
| Other benefitsper resident, 2024-25 | £5.78£5.80£5.48 | 228th of 350 | £6.15£6.17£5.83 | Published |
| Benefits and income taxfor each £1 of income tax, 2023-24 | £0.30 | 337th of 346 | £0.95 | Survey estimate |
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Pensiontotal, March 2026 | 26,891 | 198th of 350 | 12,207,279 | Published |
| State Pensionper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 122.2 | 317th of 350 | 181.3 | Published |
| State Pensionper 1,000 people aged 66 and over, March 2026 | 989.4 | 316th of 349 | 1,009.0 | Published |
| Pension Credittotal, March 2026 | 3,629 | 138th of 350 | 1,380,853 | Published |
| Pension Creditper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 16.5 | 242nd of 350 | 20.5 | Published |
| Pension Creditper 1,000 people aged 66 and over, March 2026 | 133.5 | 91st of 349 | 114.1 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymenttotal, March 2026 | 3,456 | 244th of 350 | 1,881,995 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 15.7 | 330th of 350 | 28.0 | Published |
| Attendance Allowance and Pension Age Disability Paymentper 1,000 people aged 66 and over, March 2026 | 127.2 | 299th of 349 | 155.6 | Published |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymenttotal, July 2026 | 8,915 | 188th of 350 | 4,594,229 | Published |
| Personal Independence Payment and Adult Disability Paymentper 1,000 residents, July 2026 | 40.5 | 312th of 350 | 68.2 | Published |
| Universal Credittotal, May 2026 | 23,497 | 117th of 350 | 8,145,172 | Published |
| Universal Creditper 1,000 residents, May 2026 | 106.8 | 175th of 350 | 121.0 | Published |
| Universal Creditper 1,000 people aged 16 to 64, May 2026 | 156.7 | 220th of 350 | 192.1 | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymenttotal, March 2026 | 2,203 | 169th of 350 | 1,090,721 | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper 1,000 residents, March 2026 | 10.0 | 293rd of 350 | 16.2 | Published |
| Carer's Allowance and Carer Support Paymentper 1,000 people aged 16 to 64, March 2026 | 14.7 | 312th of 350 | 25.7 | Published |
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Income taxtotal, 2023-24 | £2.3bn£2.3bn£2.1bn | 22nd of 348 | £293.3bn£290.1bn£267.7bn | Survey estimate |
| Income taxper resident, 2023-24 | £10,521£10,406£9,602 | 13th of 348 | £4,409£4,361£4,024 | Survey estimate |
| Benefits and income taxfor each £1 of income tax, 2023-24 | £0.30 | 337th of 346 | £0.95 | Survey estimate |
| Measure | Value | Rank | Great Britain | Figure type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All benefits against expectedper resident, 2024-25 | −£116−£117−£110 | 250th of 346 | £4.74£4.76£4.50 | Estimated |
| Pensioner benefits against expectedper person aged 66 and over, 2024-25 | −£418−£419−£396 | 328th of 346 | −£11−£11−£10 | Estimated |
| Working-age benefits against expectedper person aged 16 to 64, 2024-25 | £54£55£52 | 114th of 348 | £8.64£8.68£8.20 | Estimated |
Where do the numbers come from?
Notes
Limits and sources
Limits of the figures for Merton
England, Wales and Scotland each measure deprivation in their own way, so we compare areas only with others in the same nation. Areas are split into 10 equal groups, from 1, the most deprived tenth, to 10, the least deprived.
Income tax only. There are no area figures for National Insurance, VAT, council tax or other taxes.
People receiving Personal Independence Payment, by the main condition recorded at their assessment, in the groups DWP uses. Stat-Xplore changes small counts slightly to protect privacy, so the groups can add up to a few people more or less than the area's total. The comparison is with England and Wales, because Scotland has no figures by area.
Sources
- 1Department for Work and Pensions. Benefit expenditure by local authority, 2024-25. Published 15 December 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 2Department for Work and Pensions. Benefit expenditure by parliamentary constituency, 2024-25. Published 15 December 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 3Department for Work and Pensions. Stat-Xplore benefit caseloads and awards. Published 6 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 4Social Security Scotland. Adult Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2026. Published 14 September 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 5Social Security Scotland. Child Disability Payment statistics to 30 June 2026. Published 17 August 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 6Social Security Scotland. Pension Age Disability Payment statistics to 31 July 2026. Published 14 September 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 7Social Security Scotland. Carer Support Payment statistics to 30 June 2026. Published 10 August 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 8Social Security Scotland. Winter heating benefits statistics for winter 2025/26. Published 18 May 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 9Office for National Statistics. Population estimates by local authority (Nomis NM_2002_1). Published 5 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 10Office for National Statistics. Population estimates by 2024 parliamentary constituency (Nomis NM_2014_1). Published 5 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 11National Records of Scotland. Population estimates for other geographies, mid-2011 to mid-2024. Published 31 August 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 12HM Revenue and Customs. Income and tax by borough and district or unitary authority (Table 3.14). Published 29 April 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 13HM Revenue and Customs. Income and tax by parliamentary constituency (Table 3.15). Published 29 April 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 14Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. English indices of deprivation 2025. Published 19 November 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 15Welsh Government. Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation 2025. Published 5 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 16Scottish Government. Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation 2020. Published 28 January 2020. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
- 17Office for National Statistics. Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, resident analysis, 2024 (Nomis NM_30_1). Published 6 October 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. Data release 2026-10-08.2.
Northern Ireland is not included. How we worked out the figures · Download all the data