Merthyr Tydfil used to be one of the world’s industrial capitals (Image: Getty)
The UK is in the grips of stagnation. and productivity across the country as a whole have slowed markedly in the last decade and a half, and a emphasised this in January.
One place has seemingly felt this stagnation more than anywhere else. This town has previously been nicknamed the “sick note capital” of Britain, and data suggests that it is the town that pays .
figures from 2020/21 – the latest available – outline the estimated total income tax contributions paid by residents in each local authority district of the UK, and what this accounts for as a proportion of the country’s total contribution.
In Merthyr Tydfil, Wales, the number of individuals paying tax was 25,000.
The total tax paid was £80million. This equates to just above 0% of tax paid of the UK’s total.
:
Merthyr Tydfil has been nicknamed the UK’s ‘sick note capital’ (Image: Getty)
The Welsh town has better stats than Shetland Islands, Na h-Eileanan Siar and Orkney Islands in Scotland only.
Located around 23 miles north of Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil is a symbol of Britain’s industrial decline. It once produced so much metal that it was known as the “Iron Capital of the World”.
Another claim to fame boasted by the town is the fact that the world’s first steam-powered railway journey happened in Merthyr in 1804.
It travelled nine miles from the ironworks at Penydarren to the Glamorganshire Canal on the Merthyr Tramroad.
In April 2024, the number of working-age people not in work and not looking for work in the UK had increased to its highest level since 2012.
: [REPORT]
Ffos-y-fran is a large opencast coal mine in Merthyr Tydfil (Image: Getty)
The UK Parliament stated last month that there are “significant shortfalls” in productivity levels between the country’s regions and nations.
A report added: “In London, output per hour worked is 26% above the national average, while in Wales it is 17% below.
“This has led commentators to define productivity as ‘the key economic issue of our age’, which makes the lack of movement around productivity more puzzling since it comes in a period of technological innovation.”
The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said in her speech on growth last month: “We are working with the devolved governments to ensure the benefits of growth can be felt across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
She also mentioned that Eren Holdings – a paper, packaging, cement, energy, retail and textiles firm headquartered in Turkey – is investing £1billion in advanced manufacturing in North Wales.