A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Hardship Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
Within Nunsthorpe, residents occupy properties only several yards from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off roads and walkways that once connected them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” remarked a resident, 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”
An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country
Data from official statistics shows the extent of inequality can run, at times over little more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and lack of funding mean a majority of local authorities now contain a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the nation.
This geographical widening of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of places where deprived and affluent residents find themselves as immediate neighbours. In 2019, just 65 of the poorest areas bordered one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space
At this Lincolnshire site, the gap is the biggest in the country and starkly obvious. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines.
- School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long journey.
- Reaching important amenities like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered.
- The site often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being thrown over the wall and related problems.
“People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one local, gesturing towards the rusted barricade.
Community Spirit Amidst Hardship
Within Centre4, workers emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Where you live doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said director a community leader.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate 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 repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is closely bordered by large 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 a stronger community,” commented Phil Hockley, aged 63. “It’s likely many people over there never even talk to each other.”
The economic gap is evident: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide comparable homes fetch about £410,000.
Residents describe a palpable feeling of neglect. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” stated resident Susan. “Over here our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to poverty.”
The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a picture of an increasingly segregated England, where wealth and need are often awkwardly in close proximity.
