The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Affluence and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents live in homes only several yards from their wealthier neighbours in the adjacent Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high barricade physically divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off roads and walkways that once linked them.
“It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said Serenity Colley, 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”
A Stark Pattern Across the Country
Data from government figures shows the extent of inequality can run, at times over nothing more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Decades of austerity and lack of funding have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the country.
The geographical widening of poverty has led to a significant rise in the number of places where deprived and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. In 2019, just 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Wall That Does More Than Separate Space
In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the UK and starkly obvious. The barrier is much more than a symbolic divide; it creates tangible difficulties for everyday life.
- School runs that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long journey.
- Reaching key amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is hindered.
- The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with reports of litter being dumped over the wall and related problems.
“People strive to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded barricade.
Community Spirit Amidst Challenges
At a local community centre, workers stress that need does not recognise addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” explained chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite being placed in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and sense of togetherness among its inhabitants. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the least deprived 10% nationally.
A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent
This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of neighbourhoods in the country. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment.
“They might have larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” said a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial divide is evident: an average family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000.
Residents describe a tangible sense of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated resident Susan. “Over here our amenities have slowly been taken away, and most of the community problems here are related to poverty.”
The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a portrait of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and need are often awkwardly in close proximity.