The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes just a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in nearby Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high barricade literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously connected them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It has been there since 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 National Picture
Analysis of official statistics reveals how deep disparity often exists, at times across nothing more than a few metres of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Decades of austerity and lack of funding mean almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the poorest in the nation.
The spread of poverty has led to a significant rise in the quantity of locations where disadvantaged and well-off people end up living side by side. 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 Wall That Does More Than Separate Land
In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it creates tangible problems for daily routines.
- School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute journey.
- Access to important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered.
- The area can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and related issues.
“You try to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, motioning at the corroded barricade.
Community Spirit Amidst Hardship
At Centre4, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” said chief executive Tracey Good.
Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally.
Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford
This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of areas in the country. 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 more community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The economic divide is clear: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide equivalent homes go for about £410,000.
Locals describe a tangible sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” stated resident Susan. “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’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated society, where wealth and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.
