A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Deprivation Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in England.

In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy homes only a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. One six-foot-tall barricade literally divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them.

“It’s the divide between rich and poor,” remarked a resident, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”

A Stark National Picture

Data from official statistics shows the extent of inequality often exists, at times across nothing more than a few metres of asphalt, a line of hedges or a wall. Decades of austerity and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of local authorities now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the poorest in the country.

The geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of places where disadvantaged and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived areas bordered one of the least deprived. That figure rose to 119 in the latest data.

A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space

In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the UK and painfully apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical divide; it creates very real problems for everyday life.

• School runs that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour.
• Reaching key services like grocery stores, schools and care homes is made more difficult.
• The site can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and related issues.

“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 Against a Backdrop of Hardship

At Centre4, workers stress that support does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” said chief executive Tracey Good.

Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its residents. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 10% overall.

A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford

This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Kent, a 1960s 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 wealthiest tenth for employment and quality of surroundings.

“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “You’ll probably find many people over there don’t even speak to each other.”

The financial gap is evident: an typical three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide comparable homes fetch about £410,000.

Residents describe a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to poverty.”

The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a portrait of an ever more segregated society, where prosperity and deprivation are often awkwardly in close proximity.