The Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Affluence and Hardship Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in Across England.

In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes only a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in the adjacent Scartho village. A 1.8-metre-high wall literally separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, sealing off roads and walkways that once linked them.

“This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked Serenity Colley, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”

An Increasingly Common National Picture

Analysis of government statistics reveals the extent of disparity can run, at times over 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 almost two-thirds of councils now have a locality classified as one of the poorest in the country.

The spread of poverty has led to a significant increase in the number of locations where deprived and well-off residents end up living side by side. In 2019, only 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the least deprived. This number increased to 119 in the most recent data.

A Wall That Does More Than Separate Land

In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the country and starkly obvious. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it creates very real problems for daily routines.

• School runs that should take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long journey.
• Reaching important services like grocery stores, schools and care homes is made more difficult.
• The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues.

“You try to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one resident, gesturing towards the rusted metal wall.

Local Bonds Amidst Hardship

At Centre4, staff stress that need transcends postcodes. “Where you live doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” explained director Tracey Good.

Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate retains a fierce loyalty and sense of community among its residents. Meanwhile, Scartho ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally.

Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford

This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the early 2000s that are in the wealthiest tenth for employment and living environment.

“They might have bigger houses, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.”

The financial divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side equivalent properties fetch about £410,000.

Locals describe a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan. “In this area our facilities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the issues we face here are to do with poverty.”

The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an increasingly segregated society, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably in close proximity.