The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Affluence and Hardship Now Sit Side by Side in Across England.

Within Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy properties just several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A six-foot-tall barricade literally divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that previously connected them.

“This is the divide between rich and poor,” said Serenity Colley, 37. “It’s been like this since I’ve known. I doubt they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”

A Stark National Picture

Analysis of official statistics shows how deep inequality can run, at times across nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of austerity and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of local authorities now contain a neighbourhood ranking as one of the poorest in the nation.

The spread of deprivation has led to a significant increase in the quantity of locations where deprived and affluent people end up living side by side. In 2019, just 65 of the poorest areas bordered one of the wealthiest. This number increased to 119 in the latest data.

A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Land

At this Lincolnshire site, the gap is the most pronounced in the country and starkly apparent. The wall transcends being just a symbolic divide; it creates very real difficulties for everyday life.

• School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an hour-long detour.
• Access to important services like grocery stores, educational facilities and care homes is hindered.
• The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related problems.

“You try to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, motioning at the corroded barricade.

Local Bonds Amidst Challenges

At a local community centre, workers emphasise that support does not recognise postcodes. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said chief executive Tracey Good.

Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and feeling of community among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho is classified among the most prosperous 10% overall.

A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford

This phenomenon is mirrored nationally. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by spacious houses built in the 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for employment and living environment.

“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s more community,” said a long-term resident, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people in the new builds never even talk to each other.”

The economic gap is evident: an typical three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000.

Locals speak of a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan. “Over here our amenities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are related to poverty.”

The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a portrait of an ever more divided society, where prosperity and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.