The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Deprivation Now Sit Side by Side in England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents occupy homes just several yards from their more affluent counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high barricade physically divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off paths and streets that once connected them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” remarked a resident, 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring 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 over little more than a few metres of tarmac, a hedge row or a wall. Decades of budget cuts and lack of funding mean almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a locality ranking as one of the most deprived in the nation.
This spread of deprivation has coincided with a sharp rise in the quantity of places where deprived and well-off residents find themselves as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the most deprived areas bordered one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space
In Grimsby, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and starkly apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical division; it creates very real difficulties for everyday life.
- The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long journey.
- Reaching key services like supermarkets, schools and employment centres is hindered.
- The area often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other issues.
“You try to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one resident, gesturing towards the corroded barricade.
Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship
At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of togetherness among its residents. By contrast, Scartho ranks 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 overspill estate, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is immediately adjacent by large detached homes built in the early 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for employment and quality of surroundings.
“They might have larger properties, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds never even talk to each other.”
The financial divide is evident: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide comparable homes go for about £410,000.
Locals describe a palpable sense of being overlooked. “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 increase in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated society, where prosperity and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.