🔗 Share this article A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England. In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy properties just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall physically separates the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said Serenity Colley, 37. “It’s been like this 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 National Picture Analysis of official figures reveals how deep inequality often exists, sometimes across nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment mean a majority of local authorities now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the nation. The spread of poverty has led to a significant rise in the number of locations where disadvantaged and well-off residents end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data. A Wall That Divides More Than Land In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the UK and painfully apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical divide; it causes tangible problems for daily routines. School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an sixty-minute journey. Reaching key services like grocery stores, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered. The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and other issues. “People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one local, motioning at the corroded barricade. Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship At Centre4, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive Tracey Good. Regardless of being placed in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the least deprived 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by spacious houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They might have larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic divide is clear: an average family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable properties fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a palpable sense of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a picture of an ever more divided England, where wealth and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy properties just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall physically separates the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said Serenity Colley, 37. “It’s been like this 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 National Picture Analysis of official figures reveals how deep inequality often exists, sometimes across nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment mean a majority of local authorities now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the nation. The spread of poverty has led to a significant rise in the number of locations where disadvantaged and well-off residents end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data. A Wall That Divides More Than Land In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the UK and painfully apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical divide; it causes tangible problems for daily routines. School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an sixty-minute journey. Reaching key services like grocery stores, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered. The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and other issues. “People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one local, motioning at the corroded barricade. Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship At Centre4, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive Tracey Good. Regardless of being placed in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the least deprived 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by spacious houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They might have larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic divide is clear: an average family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable properties fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a palpable sense of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a picture of an ever more divided England, where wealth and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.