The Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Now Sit Side by Side in England.
In Nunsthorpe, residents occupy properties just a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that once linked them.
“This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, 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.”
A Stark National Picture
Analysis of government statistics shows how deep disparity often exists, at times over nothing more than a few metres of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of austerity and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a locality ranking as one of the poorest in the country.
The spread of deprivation has led to a sharp increase in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent people find themselves as immediate neighbours. In 2019, just 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods bordered one of the least deprived. This number increased to 119 in the latest data.
A Wall That Divides More Than Space
In Grimsby, the divide is the biggest in the country and starkly obvious. The barrier is much more than a symbolic divide; it causes tangible difficulties for everyday life.
- The school commute that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an sixty-minute journey.
- Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered.
- The area can attract vandalism and loitering, 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 resident, motioning at the corroded metal wall.
Community Spirit Against a Backdrop of Challenges
Within Centre4, staff emphasise that support does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” said chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and feeling of togetherness among its residents. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% overall.
A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford
This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and living environment.
“They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, aged 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The economic divide is clear: an typical three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side comparable homes go for about £410,000.
Residents describe a palpable sense of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated resident Susan. “In this area our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are to do with poverty.”
The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a picture of an ever more segregated England, where prosperity and need are often uncomfortably close neighbours.