Posted24.02.25
Spotlight on Merton
Located in the South of London, Merton has a population of 215,200 people. Hubs include Wimbledon, Mitcham and Morden, and it is on multiple tube lines, train lines and tram lines.
Rough sleeping in the borough is low compared to wider London – it ranked 32nd out of 34 in official counts last year. The borough also has very low numbers of people in temporary accommodation relative to other London boroughs. According to figures published by the local authority, there were 469 people in TA in Merton in December last year.
However, these numbers are still rising compared to previous years, for a number of reasons:
- A rise in Section 21 evictions administered by private landlords
- A drop in private sector properties available to rent
- An increase in asylum seekers and refugees registering as homeless
- A rise in domestic abuse survivors registering as homeless
More generally, an inner London borough like Merton is an expensive place to live in terms of housing, transport and wider living costs. We know from our work in the borough that this can cause difficulties, especially for young people hoping to find their own place.
If you are in Merton and at risk of homelessness, or you know somebody who is, the first step you can take to seek advice is by contacting Merton Borough Council, who have a range of processes in place through which they can support you. You can read more about this here.
As well as our head office being located in South Wimbledon, our work in Merton focuses on small, dispersed supported housing services focused on young people at risk of homelessness. We work with around 90 people at any one time in the borough, providing casework, mental health support, training and resettlement advice. We started work here in 2016, and have been present ever since. In that time we have supported hundreds of young people through our services and into their own independent accommodation. Alongside that we have worked with a range of local partners, including schools like Harris Academy and Ricards Lodge with whom we have done fundraising and awareness-raising. Partners like B&Q have helped us to renovate services in our to keep them fresh and homely, and charity partners have complimented our service delivery to allow us to offer training courses to customers. We have also received a number of accolades, including an award for our EDI work from the Merton Best Business Awards.
Key Merton stats:
- Number of people seen rough sleeping in 2023/24: 77
- Average price of a house: £721,867
- Average monthly rent for a one-bedroom property: £2,027
- Number of people staying in our services: 80
If you would like more information about our work in Merton, or would like to support us, please email louisa.bull@evolvehousing.org.uk
