A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Now Sit Side by Side in England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents live in properties only a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high barricade literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously connected them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to mix with us.”
An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country
Analysis of government statistics shows how deep inequality can run, sometimes across little more than a short distance of asphalt, a hedge row or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment mean a majority of councils now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the nation.
This spread of poverty has coincided with a significant increase in the number of places where deprived and affluent residents end up as immediate neighbours. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived areas adjoined one of the least deprived. This number rose to 119 in the latest data.
A Wall That Does More Than Separate Space
At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a symbolic divide; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines.
- The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour.
- Reaching key amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult.
- The area often sees antisocial behaviour, with reports of rubbish being thrown over the wall and other issues.
“People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one resident, motioning at the corroded barricade.
Community Spirit Against a Backdrop of Challenges
At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” explained director Tracey Good.
Regardless of ranking in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area is classified among the most prosperous 10% nationally.
Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford
This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by spacious detached homes built in the 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and quality of surroundings.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial divide is clear: an average family home costs about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000.
Locals speak of a tangible feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated holistic health worker Susan. “In this area our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to financial hardship.”
The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an ever more segregated England, where prosperity and need are often awkwardly close neighbours.