The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Hardship Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents live in homes only several yards from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high barricade physically separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that once connected them.
“It’s the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”
A Stark National Picture
Analysis of official statistics reveals the extent of disparity often exists, at times over little more than a few metres of asphalt, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of local authorities now have a locality ranking as one of the most deprived in the nation.
The geographical widening of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the quantity of locations where deprived and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Land
At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates tangible problems for everyday life.
- School runs that should take 15-20 minutes turn into an sixty-minute detour.
- Reaching key amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered.
- The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with reports of litter being dumped over the wall and related problems.
“You try to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one local, motioning at the corroded barricade.
Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship
Within a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” explained chief executive Tracey Good.
Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe retains a strong sense and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, Scartho ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally.
A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent
This pattern is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by large detached homes built in the early 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial divide is clear: an typical family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side equivalent homes fetch about £410,000.
Residents speak of a tangible sense of neglect. “This part of the community gets ignored,” said resident Susan. “Over here our amenities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the community problems here are to do with poverty.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an increasingly divided England, where wealth and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.
