# Where your council tax goes in Merthyr Tydfil url: https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/wales/merthyr-tydfil/where-it-goes/ updated: 29 September 2026 licence: Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Figures: each source's own licence, listed under Sources. publisher: [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk) # Where your council tax goes in Merthyr Tydfil Last updated 29 September 2026. Figures refresh every night. [How each figure is worked out](/methodology/). A Band D council tax bill in **Merthyr Tydfil** is **£2,593.60** for 2026-27, split between Merthyr Tydfil £2,186.33, South Wales Police £405.14, Community and town councils (average for the area) £2.13. Shared out in proportion to what each body spends, the largest single line is education at Merthyr Tydfil: **£868.74** of the bill. Council tax pays for 9% of the council's own spending; the rest is government grant, business rates and fees. Figures for the 2026–27 financial year. Source: [Welsh Government](https://www.gov.wales/council-tax-levels). ## Key figures - £2,593.60Band D bill, 2026-27 As of 6 April 2026 - £2,186.33Goes to Merthyr Tydfil itself (84%) As of 6 April 2026 - £868.74Largest line: education As of 16 October 2025 - 9.3%Of the council's money that comes from council tax, 2024-25 As of 16 October 2025 Source: [Welsh Government](https://www.gov.wales/council-tax-levels). ## Who gets your bill Your council tax band A B C D E F G H I Figures are for a **Band D** home. Bands A to I pay a fixed fraction of this, set in law. 2186.33 405.14 2.13 Merthyr Tydfil 84%South Wales Police 16%Community and town councils (average for the area) 0% Fire and rescue in Wales is paid for by a levy on each council, so it is inside the council part of the bill rather than a separate precept. ## And where does that bit go? Choose any part of the bill to see how it divides, then keep going as far as the published returns allow. Every level has its own link you can share. ### Where the rest comes from **Council tax pays for 9.3%** of the money Merthyr Tydfil had to spend in 2024-25. ************ - Council tax 9.3% £31.9m - Business rates 6.1% £21.0m - General government grant 59.4% £204.9m - Government grants for specific services 18.2% £62.7m - Fees, charges and other income 6.6% £22.8m - Taken from reserves 0.5% £1.8m Council tax is pooled with the council's other money, not ring-fenced for any service. The split on this page shares your bill out in proportion to what each body spends; it does not say what any one pound paid for. - Your bill ### Your bill: £2,593.60 - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) £2,186.33 ** Your council · 84.3% of the bill - [South Wales Police](#d-police) £405.14 ** Police · 15.6% of the bill - Community and town councils (average for the area) £2.13 ** Parish or town council · under 0.1% of the bill. Parish, town and community councils do not file spending returns with the government, so there is no national breakdown. Each publishes its own annual accounts. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - Merthyr Tydfil ### Merthyr Tydfil £2,186.33 of your bill goes to Merthyr Tydfil. It is shared out below in proportion to how Merthyr Tydfil spent its money in 2024-25, its latest published return. - [Education](#d-council~education) £868.74 ** 39.7% of this part · £82.7m in 2024-25 · £1,417 per resident; similar councils £1,209 · up 10.2% on 2023-24 - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) £331.65 ** 15.2% of this part · £31.6m in 2024-25 · £541 per resident; similar councils £691 · up 6.4% on 2023-24 - [Children's social care](#d-council~childrens-social-care) £269.47 ** 12.3% of this part · £25.7m in 2024-25 · £440 per resident; similar councils £341 · up 6.2% on 2023-24 - [Housing (not council homes)](#d-council~housing) £219.19 ** 10.0% of this part · £20.9m in 2024-25 · £358 per resident; similar councils £319 · down 7.4% on 2023-24 Not council homes: [see the note](#d-council~housing). - [Environment and regulation](#d-council~environment) £124.59 ** 5.7% of this part · £11.9m in 2024-25 · £203 per resident; similar councils £173 · up 7.5% on 2023-24 - [Running the council](#d-council~central) £122.54 ** 5.6% of this part · £11.7m in 2024-25 · £200 per resident; similar councils £98 · up 10.5% on 2023-24 - [Planning and development](#d-council~planning-development) £118.49 ** 5.4% of this part · £11.3m in 2024-25 · £193 per resident; similar councils £65 · up 67.0% on 2023-24 - [Parks, leisure, libraries and culture](#d-council~culture-leisure) £75.53 ** 3.5% of this part · £7.2m in 2024-25 · £123 per resident; similar councils £96 · up 13.6% on 2023-24 - [Roads and transport](#d-council~highways-transport) £56.13 ** 2.6% of this part · £5.3m in 2024-25 · £92 per resident; similar councils £108 · up 19.1% on 2023-24 **Which councils count as similar** Medians are across the 10 Welsh councils closest in population: Blaenau Gwent, Isle of Anglesey, Ceredigion, Torfaen, Monmouthshire, Denbighshire, Conwy, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Powys. Per-resident figures use ONS mid-year population estimates. - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Education ### Education £868.74 of your bill goes to education at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £82.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Schools £834.74 ** 96.1% of this · £79.5m in 2024-25 · £1,362 per resident; similar councils £1,174 · up 9.3% on 2023-24 - Other education £33.99 ** 3.9% of this · £3.2m in 2024-25 · £55 per resident; similar councils £40 · up 40.3% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Adult social care ### Adult social care £331.65 of your bill goes to adult social care at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £31.6m of net spending on it divides in the return. - [Older people (65 and over)](#d-council~adult-social-care.older-people) £172.85 ** 52.1% of this · £16.5m in 2024-25 · £283 per resident; similar councils £337 · up 6.1% on 2023-24 - [Learning disability support](#d-council~adult-social-care.learning-disability) £71.97 ** 21.7% of this · £6.9m in 2024-25 · £118 per resident; similar councils £196 · up 7.6% on 2023-24 - [Mental health support](#d-council~adult-social-care.mental-health) £38.53 ** 11.6% of this · £3.7m in 2024-25 · £63 per resident; similar councils £48 · up 13.1% on 2023-24 - [Physical support](#d-council~adult-social-care.physical) £36.37 ** 11.0% of this · £3.5m in 2024-25 · £60 per resident; similar councils £37 · up 11.2% on 2023-24 - Other adult services £11.93 ** 3.6% of this · £1.1m in 2024-25 · £20 per resident; similar councils £22 · down 20.3% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Older people (65 and over) ### Older people (65 and over) £172.85 of your bill goes to older people (65 and over) at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £16.5m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Residential care home placements £58.31 ** 33.7% of this · £5.6m in 2024-25 · £95 per resident; similar councils £117 · up 4.7% on 2023-24 - Home care £34.27 ** 19.8% of this · £3.3m in 2024-25 · £56 per resident; similar councils £89 · down 0.7% on 2023-24 - Nursing home placements £29.13 ** 16.9% of this · £2.8m in 2024-25 · £48 per resident; similar councils £53 · up 20.1% on 2023-24 - Direct payments £18.43 ** 10.7% of this · £1.8m in 2024-25 · £30 per resident; similar councils £15 · up 3.5% on 2023-24 - Other services £10.32 ** 6.0% of this · £985k in 2024-25 · £17 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 31.2% on 2023-24 - Supported and other accommodation £8.92 ** 5.2% of this · £852k in 2024-25 · £15 per resident; similar councils £0.22 · down 4.3% on 2023-24 - Equipment and adaptations £6.12 ** 3.5% of this · £584k in 2024-25 · £10 per resident; similar councils £2.45 · up 12.3% on 2023-24 - Assessment and care management £4.85 ** 2.8% of this · £463k in 2024-25 · £7.93 per resident; similar councils £37 · down 4.3% on 2023-24 - Day care £2.50 ** 1.4% of this · £239k in 2024-25 · £4.10 per resident; similar councils £6.08 · down 17.0% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Learning disability support ### Learning disability support £71.97 of your bill goes to learning disability support at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £6.9m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Residential care home placements £23.54 ** 32.7% of this · £2.2m in 2024-25 · £39 per resident; similar councils £50 · up 6.0% on 2023-24 - Supported and other accommodation £23.03 ** 32.0% of this · £2.2m in 2024-25 · £38 per resident; similar councils £68 · up 5.8% on 2023-24 - Day care £9.55 ** 13.3% of this · £912k in 2024-25 · £16 per resident; similar councils £17 · up 5.9% on 2023-24 - Home care £6.83 ** 9.5% of this · £652k in 2024-25 · £11 per resident; similar councils £6.90 · up 7.4% on 2023-24 - Other services £4.15 ** 5.8% of this · £396k in 2024-25 · £6.79 per resident; similar councils £2.93 · up 67.8% on 2023-24 - Direct payments £2.84 ** 3.9% of this · £271k in 2024-25 · £4.64 per resident; similar councils £15 · up 3.4% on 2023-24 - Assessment and care management £1.32 ** 1.8% of this · £126k in 2024-25 · £2.16 per resident; similar councils £11 · down 21.2% on 2023-24 - Nursing home placements £0.47 ** 0.7% of this · £45k in 2024-25 · £0.77 per resident; similar councils £0.37 · down 2.2% on 2023-24 - Equipment and adaptations £0.24 ** 0.3% of this · £23k in 2024-25 · £0.39 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 15.0% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Mental health support ### Mental health support £38.53 of your bill goes to mental health support at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £3.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Assessment and care management £11.46 ** 29.7% of this · £1.1m in 2024-25 · £19 per resident; similar councils £9.67 · up 2.4% on 2023-24 - Residential care home placements £8.20 ** 21.3% of this · £783k in 2024-25 · £13 per resident; similar councils £18 · up 17.2% on 2023-24 - Supported and other accommodation £5.13 ** 13.3% of this · £490k in 2024-25 · £8.40 per resident; similar councils £2.10 · up 4.7% on 2023-24 - Other services £4.96 ** 12.9% of this · £473k in 2024-25 · £8.10 per resident; similar councils £2.16 · up 71.4% on 2023-24 - Home care £4.45 ** 11.6% of this · £425k in 2024-25 · £7.28 per resident; similar councils £1.78 · up 8.7% on 2023-24 - Direct payments £1.63 ** 4.2% of this · £156k in 2024-25 · £2.67 per resident; similar councils £0.25 · up 4.0% on 2023-24 - Day care £1.46 ** 3.8% of this · £139k in 2024-25 · £2.38 per resident; similar councils £0.01 · up 3.7% on 2023-24 - Nursing home placements £0.84 ** 2.2% of this · £80k in 2024-25 · £1.37 per resident; similar councils £1.70 · up 21.2% on 2023-24 - Equipment and adaptations £0.40 ** 1.0% of this · £38k in 2024-25 · £0.65 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 11.8% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - [Adult social care](#d-council~adult-social-care) - Physical support ### Physical support £36.37 of your bill goes to physical support at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £3.5m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Supported and other accommodation £13.89 ** 38.2% of this · £1.3m in 2024-25 · £23 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 7.5% on 2023-24 - Day care £6.44 ** 17.7% of this · £615k in 2024-25 · £11 per resident; similar councils £0.17 · up 8.3% on 2023-24 - Other services £4.18 ** 11.5% of this · £399k in 2024-25 · £6.84 per resident; similar councils £0.59 · up 41.5% on 2023-24 - Home care £4.09 ** 11.2% of this · £390k in 2024-25 · £6.68 per resident; similar councils £6.34 · up 6.8% on 2023-24 - Nursing home placements £2.64 ** 7.3% of this · £252k in 2024-25 · £4.32 per resident; similar councils £3.37 · up 70.3% on 2023-24 - Direct payments £1.49 ** 4.1% of this · £142k in 2024-25 · £2.43 per resident; similar councils £7.98 · up 3.6% on 2023-24 - Assessment and care management £1.32 ** 3.6% of this · £126k in 2024-25 · £2.16 per resident; similar councils £8.05 · down 21.2% on 2023-24 - Equipment and adaptations £1.20 ** 3.3% of this · £115k in 2024-25 · £1.97 per resident; similar councils £1.52 · up 12.7% on 2023-24 - Residential care home placements £1.12 ** 3.1% of this · £107k in 2024-25 · £1.83 per resident; similar councils £6.06 · down 14.4% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Children's social care ### Children's social care £269.47 of your bill goes to children's social care at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £25.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Children looked after £158.07 ** 58.7% of this · £15.0m in 2024-25 · £258 per resident; similar councils £206 · up 9.9% on 2023-24 - Children's centres and early years £49.53 ** 18.4% of this · £4.7m in 2024-25 · £81 per resident; similar councils £42 · up 1.9% on 2023-24 - Safeguarding and social work £25.20 ** 9.4% of this · £2.4m in 2024-25 · £41 per resident; similar councils £67 · up 17.0% on 2023-24 - Family support £22.11 ** 8.2% of this · £2.1m in 2024-25 · £36 per resident; similar councils £31 · up 4.2% on 2023-24 - Other children's and families' services £8.96 ** 3.3% of this · £853k in 2024-25 · £15 per resident; similar councils £6.35 · down 33.0% on 2023-24 - Youth justice £2.94 ** 1.1% of this · £280k in 2024-25 · £4.80 per resident; similar councils £6.44 · up 0.4% on 2023-24 - Asylum-seeking children £1.55 ** 0.6% of this · £148k in 2024-25 · £2.54 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 17.5% on 2023-24 - Services for young people £1.09 ** 0.4% of this · £104k in 2024-25 · £1.78 per resident; similar councils £0.00 · up 30.0% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Housing (not council homes) ### Housing (not council homes) £219.19 of your bill goes to housing (not council homes) at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £20.9m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Housing benefit, homelessness and housing services £182.80 ** 83.4% of this · £17.4m in 2024-25 · £298 per resident; similar councils £267 · down 9.0% on 2023-24 - Other General Fund housing £36.39 ** 16.6% of this · £3.5m in 2024-25 · £59 per resident; similar councils £40 · up 1.6% on 2023-24 **Council homes are not in this.** Council housing is paid for through the Housing Revenue Account, from tenants' rents, and the law keeps it separate from the General Fund that council tax goes into. Merthyr Tydfil reported no Housing Revenue Account for 2024-25: it has no council homes of its own, or they were transferred to a housing association. [What council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#ring-fence). - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Environment and regulation ### Environment and regulation £124.59 of your bill goes to environment and regulation at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £11.9m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Waste collection, disposal and recycling £71.86 ** 57.7% of this · £6.8m in 2024-25 · £117 per resident; similar councils £122 · up 7.7% on 2023-24 - Street cleaning £21.04 ** 16.9% of this · £2.0m in 2024-25 · £34 per resident; similar councils £17 · up 24.1% on 2023-24 - Environmental health, food safety, pest control and licensing £13.90 ** 11.2% of this · £1.3m in 2024-25 · £23 per resident; similar councils £22 · up 15.7% on 2023-24 - Community safety and CCTV £6.76 ** 5.4% of this · £643k in 2024-25 · £11 per resident; similar councils £1.24 · down 4.0% on 2023-24 - Flood defence, land drainage and coast protection £4.85 ** 3.9% of this · £462k in 2024-25 · £7.92 per resident; similar councils £5.10 · down 23.6% on 2023-24 - Trading standards £3.15 ** 2.5% of this · £300k in 2024-25 · £5.14 per resident; similar councils £4.80 · down 0.3% on 2023-24 - Cemeteries and crematoria £3.03 ** 2.4% of this · £288k in 2024-25 · £4.93 per resident; similar councils £0.30 · down 17.7% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Running the council ### Running the council £122.54 of your bill goes to running the council at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £11.7m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Corporate and democratic core £61.79 ** 50.4% of this · £5.9m in 2024-25 · £101 per resident; similar councils £47 · up 13.8% on 2023-24 - Other central services £23.95 ** 19.5% of this · £2.3m in 2024-25 · £39 per resident; similar councils £28 · up 6.1% on 2023-24 - Collecting council tax and business rates £23.46 ** 19.1% of this · £2.2m in 2024-25 · £38 per resident; similar councils £21 · up 31.0% on 2023-24 - Non-distributed costs (past pensions, unused assets) £11.37 ** 9.3% of this · £1.1m in 2024-25 · £19 per resident; similar councils £4.29 · down 20.4% on 2023-24 - Coroners' and other courts £1.98 ** 1.6% of this · £188k in 2024-25 · £3.22 per resident; similar councils £3.25 · up 5.6% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Planning and development ### Planning and development £118.49 of your bill goes to planning and development at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £11.3m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Economic development and business support £95.33 ** 80.5% of this · £9.1m in 2024-25 · £155 per resident; similar councils £36 · up 77.7% on 2023-24 - Community development £14.81 ** 12.5% of this · £1.4m in 2024-25 · £24 per resident; similar councils £5.31 · up 38.4% on 2023-24 - Planning applications (development management) £3.71 ** 3.1% of this · £353k in 2024-25 · £6.05 per resident; similar councils £5.83 · up 31.2% on 2023-24 - Planning policy £1.90 ** 1.6% of this · £181k in 2024-25 · £3.10 per resident; similar councils £4.95 · down 24.6% on 2023-24 - Environmental initiatives £1.55 ** 1.3% of this · £148k in 2024-25 · £2.54 per resident; similar councils £3.42 · up 492.0% on 2023-24 - Building control £1.18 ** 1.0% of this · £112k in 2024-25 · £1.92 per resident; similar councils £1.64 · up 15.5% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Parks, leisure, libraries and culture ### Parks, leisure, libraries and culture £75.53 of your bill goes to parks, leisure, libraries and culture at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £7.2m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Sport and leisure £30.81 ** 40.8% of this · £2.9m in 2024-25 · £50 per resident; similar councils £34 · up 22.1% on 2023-24 - Parks and open spaces (including play areas) £24.65 ** 32.6% of this · £2.3m in 2024-25 · £40 per resident; similar councils £19 · down 0.1% on 2023-24 - Tourism £7.74 ** 10.3% of this · £737k in 2024-25 · £13 per resident; similar councils £3.35 · down 6.9% on 2023-24 - Libraries £7.07 ** 9.4% of this · £673k in 2024-25 · £12 per resident; similar councils £14 · up 2.4% on 2023-24 - Museums, arts, heritage and archives £5.26 ** 7.0% of this · £501k in 2024-25 · £8.58 per resident; similar councils £13 · up 294.5% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - Roads and transport ### Roads and transport £56.13 of your bill goes to roads and transport at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £5.3m of net spending on it divides in the return. - [Road and bridge maintenance](#d-council~highways-transport.maintenance) £16.52 ** 29.4% of this · £1.6m in 2024-25 · £28 per resident; similar councils £46 · up 6.0% on 2023-24 - Concessionary bus fares £15.12 ** 26.9% of this · £1.5m in 2024-25 · £26 per resident; similar councils £18 · up 15.8% on 2023-24 - Support for bus, rail and other public transport £8.17 ** 14.6% of this · £812k in 2024-25 · £14 per resident; similar councils £18 · up 110.9% on 2023-24 - Street lighting (including energy) £6.18 ** 11.0% of this · £614k in 2024-25 · £11 per resident; similar councils £11 · down 14.1% on 2023-24 - Transport planning and policy £5.38 ** 9.6% of this · £535k in 2024-25 · £9.17 per resident; similar councils £2.83 · up 263.9% on 2023-24 - Winter service (gritting) £3.75 ** 6.7% of this · £373k in 2024-25 · £6.39 per resident; similar councils £9.46 · up 21.5% on 2023-24 - Traffic management and road safety £1.00 ** 1.8% of this · £99k in 2024-25 · £1.70 per resident; similar councils £4.50 · down 59.9% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - [Merthyr Tydfil](#d-council) - [Roads and transport](#d-council~highways-transport) - Road and bridge maintenance ### Road and bridge maintenance £16.52 of your bill goes to road and bridge maintenance at Merthyr Tydfil. Here is how its £1.6m of net spending on it divides in the return. - Environmental, safety and routine maintenance £11.16 ** 67.5% of this · £1.1m in 2024-25 · £19 per resident; similar councils £28 · up 8.5% on 2023-24 - Structural maintenance (resurfacing, bridges) £5.36 ** 32.5% of this · £533k in 2024-25 · £9.13 per resident; similar councils £21 · up 1.1% on 2023-24 - [Your bill](#d-bill) - South Wales Police ### South Wales Police £405.14 of your bill is this year's adult social care precept, which councils may raise on top of the usual limit for adult social care. It is shown against how South Wales Police's adult social care spending of £433.1m divided in 2024-25. MHCLG publishes only this year's increase; the running total since 2016-17 printed on your bill is in the council part above. ## Parks, street cleaning and roads here What Merthyr Tydfil spent, net of income, on the lines readers ask about most. Roads and street cleaning are also shown per mile of road the council looks after, where it is the highway authority. Gully cleaning and verge cutting are inside routine maintenance; no return splits them out. | Line | Net spending | Per resident | Similar councils, per resident | Per mile of road | Change | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Parks and open spaces (including play areas)Details | £2.3m | £40 | £19 | — | down 0.1% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£40Similar councils, per resident£19Per mile of road—Changedown 0.1% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Street cleaningDetails | £2.0m | £34 | £17 | £10,378 (similar: £2,210) | up 24.1% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£34Similar councils, per resident£17Per mile of road£10,378 (similar: £2,210)Changeup 24.1% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Road and bridge maintenanceDetails | £1.6m | £28 | £46 | £8,508 (similar: £4,893) | up 6.0% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£28Similar councils, per resident£46Per mile of road£8,508 (similar: £4,893)Changeup 6.0% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Environmental, safety and routine maintenanceDetails | £1.1m | £19 | £28 | £5,746 (similar: £2,626) | up 8.5% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£19Similar councils, per resident£28Per mile of road£5,746 (similar: £2,626)Changeup 8.5% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Structural maintenance (resurfacing, bridges)Details | £533k | £9.13 | £21 | £2,762 (similar: £2,298) | up 1.1% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£9.13Similar councils, per resident£21Per mile of road£2,762 (similar: £2,298)Changeup 1.1% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Winter service (gritting)Details | £373k | £6.39 | £9.46 | £1,933 (similar: £781) | up 21.5% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£6.39Similar councils, per resident£9.46Per mile of road£1,933 (similar: £781)Changeup 21.5% on 2023-24 | | | | | | | Street lighting (including energy)Details | £614k | £11 | £11 | £3,181 (similar: £1,021) | down 14.1% on 2023-24 | | Per resident£11Similar councils, per resident£11Per mile of road£3,181 (similar: £1,021)Changedown 14.1% on 2023-24 | | | | | | Miles of road: Department for Transport road lengths, 2025; locally managed major roads and all minor roads. More on [what council tax does and doesn't pay for](/what-council-tax-pays-for/#local-environment). ## What it adds up to | Service | Per resident | Median | | --- | --- | --- | | EducationDetails | £1,417 | £1,229 | | Median£1,229 | | | | Adult social careDetails | £541 | £623 | | Median£623 | | | | Children's social careDetails | £440 | £347 | | Median£347 | | | | Housing (not council homes)Details | £358 | £319 | | Median£319 | | | | Environment and regulationDetails | £203 | £164 | | Median£164 | | | | Running the councilDetails | £200 | £92 | | Median£92 | | | | Planning and developmentDetails | £193 | £59 | | Median£59 | | | | Parks, leisure, libraries and cultureDetails | £123 | £80 | | Median£80 | | | | Roads and transportDetails | £92 | £105 | | Median£105 | | | - Staff costs are not published by service for Merthyr Tydfil, so its split between its own staff and everything else cannot be shown. ## What this data does and doesn't show - These are each body's own figures, as reported to government in its revenue outturn return. Net spending is after the fees, charges and grants a service brings in. - Your bill is for 2026-27; it is shared out using the latest published return, which covers an earlier year. The mix of spending changes little from one year to the next, but it does change. - Council tax is not ring-fenced: this shows your bill in proportion to spending, not what your money bought. Where a precept is set aside for adult social care, it is shown against adult social care. - No council publishes spending at street or property level, so nothing here says what was spent near you. - Sub-service lines are the ones the national returns itemise. Councils describe their own budgets differently; their budget books and statements of accounts have more detail. ## Sources - Welsh Government, [Composition of average band D council tax by billing authority (StatsWales)](https://api.stats.gov.wales/v1/3ca971eb-7d9b-4b79-89fa-6d7f77431aad/download/csv), published 24 March 2026. Open Government Licence v3.0. - Welsh Government, [Local authority revenue outturn expenditure and financing (StatsWales)](https://api.stats.gov.wales/v1/b483d2c5-e60e-4dfb-b03a-49df9e1931a0/download/csv), published 16 October 2025. Open Government Licence v3.0. How the split is worked out, and how the three nations' returns are matched to one list of services, is on the [methodology page](/methodology/#council-spending). The dataset is on the [data page](/data/#council-spending). See also [council tax in Merthyr Tydfil](/council-tax/wales/merthyr-tydfil/) and [everything else about Merthyr Tydfil](/your-area/merthyr-tydfil/). ## Common questions What does council tax pay for in Merthyr Tydfil? A Band D bill of £2,593.60 is split between Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales Police, Community and town councils (average for the area). In proportion to spending, the largest line is education, £868.74.Is council tax ring-fenced for particular services? No. Council tax is pooled with grants, business rates and fees. The adult social care precept is the exception: councils raise it for adult social care. ## Sources for this page | Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Council Tax levels](https://www.gov.wales/council-tax-levels) | Welsh Government | the 2026–27 financial year | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) | | [Local authority revenue outturn expenditure and financing (StatsWales)](https://api.stats.gov.wales/v1/b483d2c5-e60e-4dfb-b03a-49df9e1931a0/download/csv) | Welsh Government | 16 October 2025 | annual | [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) | Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Related pages - [Next in this section: Parking income in Merthyr Tydfil](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/parking/merthyr-tydfil/) - [Back to Merthyr Tydfil: your area](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/your-area/merthyr-tydfil/) - [How much is council tax and what does it pay for?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/council-tax/) - [Who is my MP, and what does their office cost?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/mps/) - [Where does my tax money actually go?](https://whereyourmoneygoes.co.uk/for-every-100-pounds-of-tax/) ## More from this publisher - [UK tax calculators](https://howlongisit.co.uk) Published by [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). Our words, analysis, charts and derived calculations: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), credit [Tekstak Ltd](https://tek-stak.co.uk). The figures belong to the publishers listed under Sources and are used under their licences. Figures last updated 29 September 2026.