A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Deprivation Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in England.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy properties just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high wall literally divides the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that previously connected them.
“This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.”
A Stark National Picture
Data from official figures reveals how deep inequality can run, at times over nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of local authorities now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the poorest in the nation.
The geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a significant increase in the number of locations where deprived and well-off people find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the most deprived areas bordered one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Wall That Divides More Than Land
In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the UK and starkly obvious. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical division; it causes very real problems for daily routines.
- The school commute that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long journey.
- Access to key services like supermarkets, educational facilities and care homes is hindered.
- The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with reports of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related problems.
“You try to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one resident, gesturing towards the corroded metal wall.
Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship
At a local community centre, workers emphasise that support does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said director Tracey Good.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate retains a strong sense and feeling of togetherness among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally.
A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford
This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by spacious detached homes built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”
The economic divide is clear: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent properties fetch about £410,000.
Residents speak of a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community gets ignored,” said resident Susan. “In this area our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to poverty.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a portrait of an increasingly divided England, where wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly close neighbours.
