Merton compared with London boroughs
Compared with the 32 London boroughs.
- Residents
- 218,891 (mid-2025)
- Band D council tax
- £2,147 a year in 2026-27, including police, fire and parish charges
Where Merton sits
2
measures in the bottom quarter
1
measures below the middle
10
measures in the top half
Merton compares worst with London boroughs on:
- upheld cases the council had already put right (31st of 32; 1st is highest)
- fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents (25th of 32; 1st is lowest)
It compares best on:
- website accessibility score (2nd of 32; 1st is highest)
- complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents (4th of 32; 1st is lowest)
- households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households (4th of 32; 1st is lowest)
SEND assessments
Education, health and care plans set out support for children with special educational needs. The law says a new plan should be issued within 20 weeks.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks 2025 | 95.6% | 70.5% | Top half 7th of 32 |
Ombudsman complaints
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman looks at complaints the council's own complaints process has not resolved. Upheld means the Ombudsman found the council at fault.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upheld complaints per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 5 | 9.4 | Top half 5th of 32 | |
| Complaints to the Ombudsman per 100,000 residents 2025-26 | 59.8 | 78.5 | Top half 4th of 32 | |
| Upheld complaints about children's services per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about special educational needs per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld complaints about homelessness per 100,000 residents | No figure | No figure | No figure | |
| Upheld cases the council had already put right 2025-26 | 0.0% | 15.2% | Bottom quarter 31st of 32 | |
| Ombudsman remedies delivered on time 2025-26 | No figure | 66.8% | No figure |
Council housing
From the tenant survey and performance figures every council landlord reports to the Regulator of Social Housing. Only councils that still own council homes are included.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tenants satisfied with the overall service 2024-25 | No figure | 60.9% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is well maintained 2024-25 | No figure | 62.1% | No council homes | |
| Tenants satisfied their home is safe 2024-25 | No figure | 68.4% | No council homes | |
| Tenants who say the council listens and acts 2024-25 | No figure | 52.2% | No council homes | |
| Non-emergency repairs done within target time 2024-25 | No figure | 83.0% | No council homes | |
| Council homes failing the Decent Homes Standard 2024-25 | No figure | 6.9% | No council homes | |
| Stage 1 housing complaints answered in time 2024-25 | No figure | 70.7% | No council homes |
Council tax
How much of the year's council tax bills the council collected by 31 March.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Council tax collected in the year it was due 2025-26 | 95.4% | 93.7% | Top half 12th of 32 |
Streets and waste
Fly-tipping the council recorded, how often it took enforcement action, and how much household waste was recycled.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents 2024-25 | 68 | 44.5 | Bottom quarter 25th of 32 | |
| Enforcement actions per 100 fly-tipping incidents 2024-25 | 63.8 | 37.6 | Top half 12th of 32 | |
| Household waste reused, recycled or composted 2023-24 | 38.6% | 32.0% | Top half 8th of 32 |
Homelessness
Temporary accommodation and the outcomes of homelessness cases, from the council's statutory returns.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1,000 households January to March 2026 | 8.6 | 18.9 | Top half 4th of 32 | |
| Families in temporary accommodation for 2 years or more January to March 2026 | 44.5% | 62.2% | Top half 7th of 32 | |
| Prevention cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 48.9% | 51.0% | Below the middle 20th of 32 | |
| Relief cases ending with a home secured January to March 2026 | 32.9% | 32.9% | Top half 16th of 32 |
Website
An automated test of the council website's accessibility.
| Measure | Merton | Median | Position | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website accessibility score October 2026 | 99.0% | 90.7% | Top half 2nd of 32 |
What the council spends
Net spending per resident in 2025-26, after fees, charges and specific grants, not counting schools. Spending more is not better or worse on its own. Negative highways figures come from parking income.
| Service | Merton | Median | Rank, highest first | Across England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's social care | £250 | £291 | 24th of 32 | |
| Adult social care | £371 | £438 | 28th of 32 | |
| Public health | £60 | £82 | 23rd of 32 | |
| Housing (general fund) | £97 | £146 | 25th of 32 | |
| Environmental and regulatory | £138 | £104 | 10th of 32 | |
| Highways and transport | −£2 | £2 | 17th of 32 | |
| Culture and leisure | £36 | £39 | 19th of 32 | |
| Planning and development | −£6 | £23 | 31st of 32 | |
| Central services | £70 | £67 | 15th of 32 | |
| All services excluding schools | £1,026 | £1,197 | 24th of 32 |
Children's services inspection
Ofsted rated Merton’s children's services outstanding at its last full inspection, in July 2025.
- Outstanding
- 17 of the 32 London boroughs, including Merton
- Good
- 12 of the 32 London boroughs
- Requires improvement
- 1 of the 32 London boroughs
- Inadequate
- 2 of the 32 London boroughs
Over time
Merton against the median of London boroughs.
EHC plans issued within 20 weeks
By calendar year.
- Merton: 95.6%
- Median (London boroughs): 70.5%
Upheld Ombudsman complaints per 100,000 residents
Using the latest population estimate for every year.
- Merton: 5
- Median (London boroughs): 9.4
Household waste recycling rate
Reused, recycled or composted.
- Merton: 38.6%
- Median (London boroughs): 32.0%
Fly-tipping incidents per 1,000 residents
As recorded by the council.
- Merton: 68
- Median (London boroughs): 44.5
How to read these figures
Position 1 is the best in the group. The bottom quarter is shown in red, below the middle in yellow and the top half in green. Councils with the same figure share a position.
In each chart, every mark is a council in England and the large dot is Merton. Councils in the group you are comparing with are darker. The dashed line is the group's median.