Child Poverty in Merton

I’ve enclosed below an analysis of child poverty in Merton by Council ward by the Joseph Rowntree. My own ward of Pollards comes in at no 5 in the list. Joseph Rowntree foundation has based the figures on one or more parent on workless benefits as a proxy for poverty. The figures also re-iterate the huge differences we have across wards in Merton especially between the Wimbledon and Mitcham sides of the Borough.


The figures also mask significant differences within wards, I know within my own ward of Pollards Hill that the actual figures would be substantially higher in part of the ward and in the other part substantially lower. Since Labour has come to power 700,000 kids have been lifted out of poverty and the figures within Merton have significantly decreased, while this is a significant improvement we still have a long way to go.

Cricket Green 32.6%
Lavender Fields 32.6%
Ravensbury 31.9%
Figge's Marsh 29.3%
Pollards Hill 28.1%
St Helier 27.3%
Colliers Wood 24.8%
Longthornton 23.4%
Abbey 21.2%
Graveney 16.4%
Trinity 15.5%
West Barnes 12.0%
Raynes Park 11.2%
Lower Morden 9.8%
Merton Park 8.7%
Cannon Hill 8.2%
Dundonald 7.4%
Wimbledon Park 7.3%
Hillside 4.3%
Village 1.9%

http://www.jrf.org.uk/child-poverty/documents/London.xls