The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Deprivation Are Found Side by Side in England.
Within Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their more affluent counterparts in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high wall physically separates the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that previously linked them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It has been there for as long as I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I don’t think they’ll want to mix with us.”
An Increasingly Common National Picture
Data from official statistics shows the extent of inequality can run, sometimes over little more than a few metres of asphalt, a hedge row or a wall. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment mean almost two-thirds of councils now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the nation.
The spread of deprivation has led to a significant increase in the quantity of places where disadvantaged and well-off people end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest areas bordered one of the least deprived. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data.
A Wall That Divides More Than Space
In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the country and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates tangible problems for everyday life.
- School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long detour.
- Access to key amenities like grocery stores, schools and care homes is hindered.
- The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues.
“People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, motioning at the corroded metal wall.
Local Bonds Amidst Hardship
At Centre4, staff emphasise that need does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” said chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% overall.
A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent
This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the 2000s that are in the top 10% for employment and living environment.
“They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” said Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people over there never even talk to each other.”
The financial divide is clear: an typical family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side equivalent properties fetch about £410,000.
Locals speak of a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” said resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to financial hardship.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an increasingly segregated England, where wealth and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.
