A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Hardship Are Found Side by Side in Across England.

In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy homes only a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high barricade literally divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off paths and streets that once connected them.

“This is the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”

A Stark National Picture

Analysis of government figures reveals the extent of disparity can run, at times across little more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment mean a majority of councils now contain a locality ranking as one of the most deprived in the country.

This geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of locations where disadvantaged 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 latest data.

A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space

At this Lincolnshire site, the gap is the most pronounced in the UK and painfully obvious. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical divide; it creates very real problems for everyday life.

• School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long detour.
• Reaching important services like grocery stores, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered.
• The area often sees antisocial behaviour, with reports of litter being thrown over the wall and other problems.

“People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one resident, motioning at the corroded barricade.

Community Spirit Amidst Hardship

At a local community centre, staff emphasise that need transcends addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” explained director Tracey Good.

Regardless of being placed in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally.

A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent

This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses 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,” commented a long-term resident, aged 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.”

The financial divide is clear: an typical family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide equivalent homes go for about £410,000.

Residents speak of a palpable sense of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our amenities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are to do with poverty.”

The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a portrait of an ever more segregated England, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably in close proximity.