🔗 Share this article A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in England. In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in properties only a few metres from their more affluent counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once connected them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It has been there for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to mix with us.” An Increasingly Common National Picture Analysis of official figures reveals how deep disparity often exists, at times over little more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the nation. This spread of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent people find themselves as immediate neighbours. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods bordered one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land In Grimsby, the gap is the most pronounced in the country and starkly apparent. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates very real difficulties for daily routines. School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long detour. Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered. The site can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other problems. “People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, motioning at the rusted metal wall. Local Bonds Amidst Hardship Within a local community centre, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained director Tracey Good. Regardless of ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and sense of togetherness among its residents. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall. A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century 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 sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people in the new builds never even talk to each other.” The financial gap is clear: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a tangible feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our amenities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the community problems here are to do with financial hardship.” The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated England, where wealth and need are often uncomfortably close neighbours.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in properties only a few metres from their more affluent counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once connected them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It has been there for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to mix with us.” An Increasingly Common National Picture Analysis of official figures reveals how deep disparity often exists, at times over little more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the nation. This spread of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent people find themselves as immediate neighbours. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods bordered one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land In Grimsby, the gap is the most pronounced in the country and starkly apparent. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates very real difficulties for daily routines. School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long detour. Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered. The site can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other problems. “People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, motioning at the rusted metal wall. Local Bonds Amidst Hardship Within a local community centre, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained director Tracey Good. Regardless of ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and sense of togetherness among its residents. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall. A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century 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 sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people in the new builds never even talk to each other.” The financial gap is clear: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a tangible feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our amenities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the community problems here are to do with financial hardship.” The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated England, where wealth and need are often uncomfortably close neighbours.