A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Deprivation Now Sit Side by Side in England.
Within a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in properties just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall physically separates the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off paths and streets that once connected them.
“It’s the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, 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 mix with us.”
A Stark National Picture
Analysis of government figures reveals the extent of disparity often exists, at times over nothing 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 local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the most deprived in the country.
The geographical widening of deprivation has led to a significant rise in the number of locations where deprived and affluent residents end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. This number rose to 119 in the latest data.
A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Land
In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the UK and painfully apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it causes tangible problems for everyday life.
- School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long journey.
- Reaching important services like grocery stores, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered.
- The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and other problems.
“You try to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, gesturing towards the corroded barricade.
Local Bonds Amidst Hardship
At Centre4, workers emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” explained chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a strong sense and feeling of community among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall.
A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford
This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is immediately adjacent by spacious detached homes built in the 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and living environment.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, aged 63. “It’s likely many people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial gap is evident: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide comparable properties fetch about £410,000.
Locals describe a palpable sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” stated resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to poverty.”
The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an ever more segregated society, where prosperity and need are often uncomfortably close neighbours.
