The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high barricade literally separates the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them.
“This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”
A Stark National Picture
Data from official figures reveals how deep inequality can run, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the country.
This geographical widening of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the quantity of locations where disadvantaged and affluent residents find themselves as immediate neighbours. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the least deprived. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data.
A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land
At this Lincolnshire site, the gap is the biggest in the UK and starkly obvious. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines.
- The school commute that ought to take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long journey.
- Access to key services like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered.
- The site often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other issues.
“You try to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded metal wall.
Community Spirit Amidst Challenges
Within Centre4, staff emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. By contrast, Scartho ranks among the least deprived 10% overall.
Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent
This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by large detached homes 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, aged 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial gap is evident: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes go for about £410,000.
Residents describe a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to financial hardship.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a portrait of an increasingly segregated society, where prosperity and deprivation are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.
