🔗 Share this article The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Hardship Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England. In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in properties only a few metres from their more affluent counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high wall physically separates the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off roads and walkways that once linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Analysis of government figures reveals the extent of disparity can run, sometimes across little more than a short distance of asphalt, a line of hedges or a wall. Decades of austerity and lack of funding mean a majority of councils now contain a locality ranking as one of the most deprived in the country. This geographical widening of deprivation has coincided with a sharp rise in the number of locations where disadvantaged and well-off residents end up as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods 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 most pronounced in the country and painfully apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it causes tangible problems for everyday life. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long journey. Reaching key amenities like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered. The site often sees vandalism and loitering, with reports of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues. “People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, motioning at the corroded metal wall. Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director a community leader. Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.” The financial divide is evident: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a tangible feeling of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan. “In this area our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are to do with financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an ever more divided society, where wealth and need are frequently awkwardly close neighbours.
In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in properties only a few metres from their more affluent counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high wall physically separates the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off roads and walkways that once linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Analysis of government figures reveals the extent of disparity can run, sometimes across little more than a short distance of asphalt, a line of hedges or a wall. Decades of austerity and lack of funding mean a majority of councils now contain a locality ranking as one of the most deprived in the country. This geographical widening of deprivation has coincided with a sharp rise in the number of locations where disadvantaged and well-off residents end up as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods 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 most pronounced in the country and painfully apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it causes tangible problems for everyday life. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long journey. Reaching key amenities like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered. The site often sees vandalism and loitering, with reports of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues. “People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, motioning at the corroded metal wall. Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director a community leader. Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.” The financial divide is evident: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a tangible feeling of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan. “In this area our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are to do with financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an ever more divided society, where wealth and need are frequently awkwardly close neighbours.