Reliance on benefits - how the borough's wards compare

Latest figures from the Department of Work & Pensions reveal six of Rochdale borough's Wards to be in the worst 5% nationally in reliance on out-of-work benefits - ranging from the 38th to the 555th most benefit needy of the 10,059 wards nationally.

The main out-of-work benefits are Job Seekers Allowance, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disability Allowance and Carers' Allowance.

Central & Falinge ward, that includes the much publicised Lower Falinge estate, turns out to be not the worst in the country as the media have branded it, but is the 38th most benefit needy in the league table.

Wales's Rhyl West ward holds the number 1 positoin with 49.9% of its working age population dependent on these benefits, compared with Central & Falinge ward's 39.7%.
The other five Rochdale borough wards in the most benefit-needy 5% nationally, with their position in the ranking and the percentage of their working age population in receipt of out-of-work benefits are:

Middleton West 161st 32.2%
Balderstone 369th 27.8%
Smallbridge & Wardleworth 453rd 26.6%
Middleton Central 510th 26.1%
Newbold 555th 25.6%
The highest placed wards in the Borough's other Townships are: in Heywood, Heywood West at 1,118th (21.7%) and in Pennines, Wardle at 3,016th (14.4%).

The Borough's least benefit-needy ward is Norden & Bamford at 8,201st (5.8%).

[the DWP's fgures are based on the ward boudaries of 2003]