Help with your Family Finances 

We established a £3million cost of living fund to provide practical help to families struggling with their finances. The support available included: helping families with bills and food costs, free and independent finance and debt advice, helping young people to get into the habit of saving, and support for our voluntary and community sector partners like Citizens Advice in their work helping those in need.  

We are proud that Merton has become an accredited London Living Wage Employer, making sure local residents who work for the council are paid a fair days pay for a fair days work. We have also worked hard to get businesses across the borough accredited as Living Wage Employers, including through a business grant to support accreditation. To date more than 90 businesses and organisations in Merton have become Living Wage Employers, representing a pay increase for more than 3,800 employees.  

Over 5,300 residents have attend one of Merton Council’s twenty cost of living events to date, receiving free advice and support on their finances, including bills, debt, benefits, and energy saving measures. All households attending have also received a £10 supermarket voucher to help with their weekly shop.  

Merton is one of the only councils in the country running Holiday Activities and Food programmes during the school half terms, as well as in the main school holidays. These sessions provide free activities and meals during the school holidays for thousands of Merton children, helping families who might be struggling when the kids aren’t at school.  

We have launched Employ Merton, a job brokerage service which supports residents in finding job opportunities and accessing tailored support. As part of this service, we are working to support the 5,000 parents in Merton who are currently out of work, into good, well-paid jobs. In just the first few months, Employ Merton has had more than 400 referrals of local residents seeking help with employment.