A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents occupy properties only a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in nearby Scartho. 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.
“It’s the posh-poor divide,” said Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It has been there for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.”
An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country
Data from government statistics shows the extent of inequality can run, sometimes over little more than a few metres of asphalt, a hedge row or a wall. Years of budget cuts and lack of funding mean a majority of local authorities now have a neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the country.
The spread of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the number of locations where deprived and affluent people find themselves living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest areas 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 country and painfully apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical division; it creates tangible problems for everyday life.
- The school commute that should take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long journey.
- Reaching key amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is made more difficult.
- The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with reports of litter being dumped over the wall and related problems.
“You try to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, motioning at the rusted metal wall.
Community Spirit Amidst Challenges
At Centre4, workers emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said director a community leader.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and sense of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 10% nationally.
Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent
This pattern is mirrored across the country. The Stanhope area in Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s more community,” said a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial gap is clear: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side equivalent homes go for about £410,000.
Residents speak of a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are to do with financial hardship.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an increasingly divided England, where prosperity and deprivation are often uncomfortably close neighbours.
