🔗 Share this article A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Deprivation Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in England. In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. One six-foot-tall wall literally divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off paths and streets that previously linked them. “It’s the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Analysis of official statistics shows how deep inequality often exists, sometimes over little more than a short distance of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment mean a majority of local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the most deprived in the nation. This geographical widening of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the quantity of places where deprived and affluent people end up as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the wealthiest. This number rose to 119 in the latest data. A Wall That Divides More Than Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the UK and painfully apparent. The wall is much more than a symbolic divide; it creates very real difficulties for everyday life. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long journey. Reaching important services like supermarkets, schools and employment centres is hindered. The site often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and other problems. “People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one local, gesturing towards the rusted metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Challenges At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a strong sense and sense of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the most prosperous 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is immediately adjacent by spacious detached homes built in the 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” said a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic gap is clear: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes go for about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community gets ignored,” stated 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 poverty.” The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a portrait of an increasingly segregated society, where wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly in close proximity.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. One six-foot-tall wall literally divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off paths and streets that previously linked them. “It’s the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Analysis of official statistics shows how deep inequality often exists, sometimes over little more than a short distance of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment mean a majority of local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the most deprived in the nation. This geographical widening of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the quantity of places where deprived and affluent people end up as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the wealthiest. This number rose to 119 in the latest data. A Wall That Divides More Than Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the UK and painfully apparent. The wall is much more than a symbolic divide; it creates very real difficulties for everyday life. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long journey. Reaching important services like supermarkets, schools and employment centres is hindered. The site often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and other problems. “People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one local, gesturing towards the rusted metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Challenges At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe retains a strong sense and sense of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the most prosperous 10% overall. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is immediately adjacent by spacious detached homes built in the 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” said a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic gap is clear: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes go for about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community gets ignored,” stated 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 poverty.” The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a portrait of an increasingly segregated society, where wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly in close proximity.