🔗 Share this article The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Hardship Now Sit Side by Side in England. In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes only a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off paths and streets that previously linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, aged 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Analysis of government statistics shows how deep disparity can run, sometimes across nothing more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Years of austerity and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the nation. This spread of poverty has coincided with a sharp rise in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. In 2019, just 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and starkly obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical division; it causes tangible difficulties for everyday life. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute detour. Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult. The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being thrown over the wall and other problems. “People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one resident, motioning at the corroded metal wall. Local Bonds Amidst Hardship At Centre4, workers emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” explained director a community leader. Regardless of being placed in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is mirrored across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by spacious detached homes built in the 2000s that are in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there 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 properties fetch about £410,000. Residents describe a tangible sense of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and need are often awkwardly in close proximity.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes only a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off paths and streets that previously linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, aged 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Analysis of government statistics shows how deep disparity can run, sometimes across nothing more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Years of austerity and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the nation. This spread of poverty has coincided with a sharp rise in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. In 2019, just 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and starkly obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical division; it causes tangible difficulties for everyday life. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute detour. Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult. The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being thrown over the wall and other problems. “People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one resident, motioning at the corroded metal wall. Local Bonds Amidst Hardship At Centre4, workers emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” explained director a community leader. Regardless of being placed in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is mirrored across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by spacious detached homes built in the 2000s that are in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there 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 properties fetch about £410,000. Residents describe a tangible sense of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and need are often awkwardly in close proximity.