🔗 Share this article The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Affluence and Deprivation Are Found Side by Side in England. In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high wall literally divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that previously connected them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” said Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.” A Stark National Picture Analysis of government statistics reveals how deep disparity can run, at times over little more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the nation. The spread of deprivation has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of locations where deprived and well-off people end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the UK and painfully obvious. The wall is much more than a symbolic divide; it creates tangible difficulties for daily routines. School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long detour. Reaching important amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is hindered. The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related issues. “People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, gesturing towards the rusted barricade. Community Spirit Amidst Challenges At Centre4, staff emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Where you live doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area is classified among the most prosperous 10% overall. A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for employment and living environment. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide equivalent properties fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” stated resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the issues we face here are to do with financial hardship.” The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated England, where prosperity and deprivation are often uncomfortably close neighbours.
In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high wall literally divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that previously connected them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” said Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.” A Stark National Picture Analysis of government statistics reveals how deep disparity can run, at times over little more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the nation. The spread of deprivation has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of locations where deprived and well-off people end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the UK and painfully obvious. The wall is much more than a symbolic divide; it creates tangible difficulties for daily routines. School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long detour. Reaching important amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is hindered. The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related issues. “People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, gesturing towards the rusted barricade. Community Spirit Amidst Challenges At Centre4, staff emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Where you live doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area is classified among the most prosperous 10% overall. A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for employment and living environment. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide equivalent properties fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” stated resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the issues we face here are to do with financial hardship.” The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated England, where prosperity and deprivation are often uncomfortably close neighbours.