🔗 Share this article A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Affluence and Deprivation Now Sit Side by Side in England. In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high barricade physically separates the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, aged 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.” An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country Analysis of government figures shows the extent of disparity often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the most deprived in the country. The spread of poverty has led to a significant increase in the number of places where deprived and affluent people end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest areas bordered one of the least deprived. This number rose to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and painfully obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical divide; it creates very real problems for daily routines. The school commute that ought to take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long journey. Access to important amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is made more difficult. The site can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and related issues. “People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one local, motioning at the rusted metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Hardship At Centre4, workers emphasise that need transcends postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive a community leader. Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the early 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people in the new builds never even talk to each other.” The financial divide is evident: an typical three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side equivalent properties fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are to do with poverty.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a picture of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high barricade physically separates the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, aged 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.” An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country Analysis of government figures shows the extent of disparity often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Decades of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the most deprived in the country. The spread of poverty has led to a significant increase in the number of places where deprived and affluent people end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest areas bordered one of the least deprived. This number rose to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and painfully obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical divide; it creates very real problems for daily routines. The school commute that ought to take a quarter of an hour turn into an hour-long journey. Access to important amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is made more difficult. The site can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and related issues. “People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one local, motioning at the rusted metal wall. Community Spirit Amidst Hardship At Centre4, workers emphasise that need transcends postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained chief executive a community leader. Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the early 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people in the new builds never even talk to each other.” The financial divide is evident: an typical three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side equivalent properties fetch about £410,000. Residents speak of a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are to do with poverty.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a picture of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.