A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Deprivation Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in England.

In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties only a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in nearby Scartho village. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that once connected them.

“It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”

An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country

Analysis of official figures shows the extent of inequality often exists, at times over little more than a few metres of asphalt, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the poorest in the country.

The geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a significant increase in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent people find themselves living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data.

A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space

At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the country and painfully apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical divide; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines.

• School runs that should take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long journey.
• Reaching important amenities like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered.
• The site can attract vandalism and loitering, with reports of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related problems.

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

Local Bonds Amidst Challenges

At Centre4, workers stress that support does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” explained chief executive a community leader.

Regardless of being placed in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a fierce loyalty and sense of togetherness among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho is classified among the most prosperous 10% overall.

Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford

This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope area in Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is closely bordered by spacious detached homes built in the early 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and living environment.

“They might have larger properties, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”

The economic divide is clear: an typical family home costs about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide comparable properties go for about £410,000.

Residents describe a tangible sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan. “In this area our facilities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the community problems here are related to poverty.”

The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a portrait of an increasingly divided society, where wealth and deprivation are frequently awkwardly close neighbours.