🔗 Share this article A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Affluence and Deprivation Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England. In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, residents occupy properties only several yards from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high barricade literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once linked them. “It’s the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Data from official figures shows the extent of disparity can run, sometimes over little more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of budget cuts and underinvestment mean almost two-thirds of councils now contain a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the country. This geographical widening of deprivation has led to a sharp increase in the number of places where disadvantaged and well-off people find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods bordered 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 most pronounced in the UK and starkly obvious. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour. Access to important services like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered. The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues. “You try to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, motioning at the corroded metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Hardship At Centre4, workers stress that support transcends postcodes. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Despite being placed in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large detached homes built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment. “They might have larger properties, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic gap is evident: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Residents describe a tangible feeling of being overlooked. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and the majority 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 wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly in close proximity.
In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, residents occupy properties only several yards from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high barricade literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once linked them. “It’s the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.” A Stark Pattern Across the Country Data from official figures shows the extent of disparity can run, sometimes over little more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of budget cuts and underinvestment mean almost two-thirds of councils now contain a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the country. This geographical widening of deprivation has led to a sharp increase in the number of places where disadvantaged and well-off people find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods bordered 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 most pronounced in the UK and starkly obvious. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines. The school commute that should take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour. Access to important services like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered. The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues. “You try to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one local, motioning at the corroded metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Hardship At Centre4, workers stress that support transcends postcodes. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Despite being placed in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This pattern is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large detached homes built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment. “They might have larger properties, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there never even talk to each other.” The economic gap is evident: an average family home sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Residents describe a tangible feeling of being overlooked. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and the majority 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 wealth and deprivation are often awkwardly in close proximity.