🔗 Share this article The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Hardship Now Sit Side by Side in Across England. In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that previously connected them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think 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 government statistics shows the extent of disparity can run, sometimes across little more than a short distance 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 neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the country. This spread of poverty has coincided with a sharp increase in the quantity of places where deprived and affluent residents end up living side by side. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the country and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it causes tangible problems for everyday life. School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour. Access to important amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is made more difficult. The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other issues. “People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one resident, motioning at the corroded barricade. Local Bonds Amidst Hardship Within a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director Tracey Good. Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of community among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally. A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.” The financial gap is clear: an average three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent properties go for about £410,000. Residents speak of a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated holistic health worker Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the community problems here are related to poverty.” The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an ever more divided England, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably in close proximity.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off roads and walkways that previously connected them. “This is the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think 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 government statistics shows the extent of disparity can run, sometimes across little more than a short distance 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 neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the country. This spread of poverty has coincided with a sharp increase in the quantity of places where deprived and affluent residents end up living side by side. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the least deprived. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the country and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it causes tangible problems for everyday life. School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour. Access to important amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is made more difficult. The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other issues. “People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” said one resident, motioning at the corroded barricade. Local Bonds Amidst Hardship Within a local community centre, staff emphasise that need does not recognise postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director Tracey Good. Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of community among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally. A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.” The financial gap is clear: an average three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent properties go for about £410,000. Residents speak of a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated holistic health worker Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the community problems here are related to poverty.” The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an ever more divided England, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably in close proximity.