🔗 Share this article A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Side by Side in England. Within a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties only a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho village. One 1.8-metre-high barricade physically separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously linked them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.” An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country Data from government figures shows the extent of inequality often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of asphalt, a hedge row or a wall. Decades of austerity and lack of funding mean almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the country. This geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of places where disadvantaged and well-off residents end up as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. This number rose to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and starkly obvious. The barrier transcends being just a symbolic divide; it creates tangible difficulties for daily routines. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute journey. Access to important amenities like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered. The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and related problems. “You try to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Challenges At Centre4, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said director a community leader. Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and quality of surroundings. “They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic divide is clear: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a tangible feeling of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our amenities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the issues we face here are related to poverty.” The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a portrait of an ever more divided society, where wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly close neighbours.
Within a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties only a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho village. One 1.8-metre-high barricade physically separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously linked them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.” An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country Data from government figures shows the extent of inequality often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of asphalt, a hedge row or a wall. Decades of austerity and lack of funding mean almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the country. This geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of places where disadvantaged and well-off residents end up as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. This number rose to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and starkly obvious. The barrier transcends being just a symbolic divide; it creates tangible difficulties for daily routines. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute journey. Access to important amenities like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered. The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and related problems. “You try to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Challenges At Centre4, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said director a community leader. Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and quality of surroundings. “They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic divide is clear: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a tangible feeling of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our amenities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the issues we face here are related to poverty.” The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a portrait of an ever more divided society, where wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly close neighbours.