🔗 Share this article A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Hardship Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in England. In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties just several yards from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. One six-foot-tall barricade physically divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.” An Increasingly Common National Picture Analysis of official figures reveals how deep disparity often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of asphalt, a hedge row or a wall. Decades of budget cuts and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the country. This geographical widening of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the number of places where deprived and well-off people find themselves as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. This number increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space In Grimsby, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates very real problems for daily routines. School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an sixty-minute journey. Reaching important amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is made more difficult. The area can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being thrown over the wall and related problems. “People strive to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded barricade. Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship At Centre4, workers emphasise that support does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and sense of togetherness among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They might have bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.” The economic gap is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” stated resident Susan. “Over here our amenities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the issues we face here are related to financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an increasingly segregated society, where prosperity and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.
In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties just several yards from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho village. One six-foot-tall barricade physically divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them. “It’s the divide between rich and poor,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I suspect they’ll want to mix with us.” An Increasingly Common National Picture Analysis of official figures reveals how deep disparity often exists, sometimes over nothing more than a short distance of asphalt, a hedge row or a wall. Decades of budget cuts and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the country. This geographical widening of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the number of places where deprived and well-off people find themselves as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. This number increased to 119 in the latest data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space In Grimsby, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical division; it creates very real problems for daily routines. School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an sixty-minute journey. Reaching important amenities like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is made more difficult. The area can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being thrown over the wall and related problems. “People strive to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded barricade. Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship At Centre4, workers emphasise that support does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good. Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and sense of togetherness among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally. Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings. “They might have bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said a long-term resident, aged 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.” The economic gap is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent homes fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable sense of neglect. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” stated resident Susan. “Over here our amenities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the issues we face here are related to financial hardship.” The rise in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an increasingly segregated society, where prosperity and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.