A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in England.

Within Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes only a few metres from their more affluent counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, sealing off paths and streets that previously linked them.

“It’s the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”

A Stark National Picture

Analysis of government figures shows how deep disparity often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of austerity and lack of funding mean a majority of councils now have a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the nation.

This spread of poverty has led to a significant increase in the number of locations where deprived and well-off residents find themselves as immediate neighbours. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived areas adjoined one of the least deprived. This number increased to 119 in the most recent data.

A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land

At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the country and painfully obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical division; it creates very real difficulties for daily routines.

• The school commute that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long detour.
• Reaching important services like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is made more difficult.
• The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related problems.

“People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, gesturing towards the rusted metal wall.

Community Spirit Amidst Hardship

Within a local community centre, staff emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive a community leader.

Regardless of being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the most prosperous 10% nationally.

Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent

This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by large detached homes built in the 2000s that are in the top 10% for employment and living environment.

“They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely many people over there never even talk to each other.”

The financial divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide equivalent properties go for about £410,000.

Residents speak of a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are related to financial hardship.”

The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a picture of an ever more divided society, where wealth and deprivation are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.