The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Deprivation Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents live in properties just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. One six-foot-tall wall literally divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that once connected them.
“It’s the posh-poor divide,” said Serenity Colley, 37. “It’s been like this 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.”
A Stark Pattern Across the Country
Data from government figures reveals how deep inequality often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a few metres of asphalt, a line of hedges or a barrier. Decades of austerity and underinvestment mean almost two-thirds of councils now contain a locality classified as one of the poorest in the country.
This geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a sharp increase in the quantity of places where deprived and well-off residents find themselves living side by side. 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 Space
At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and painfully apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates tangible problems for everyday life.
- School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an sixty-minute detour.
- Access to key amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is made more difficult.
- The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with reports of litter being thrown over the wall and other problems.
“You try to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded barricade.
Local Bonds Amidst Challenges
Within Centre4, staff emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive a community leader.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of togetherness among its residents. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the least deprived 10% overall.
A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford
This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in the country. It is immediately adjacent by large detached homes built in the early 2000s that are in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment.
“They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The economic divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side comparable homes go for about £410,000.
Locals speak of a tangible sense of neglect. “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 to do with poverty.”
The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a picture of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.