A Growing ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in Across England.

In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties just a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high barricade literally separates the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that once linked them.

“This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, 37. “It’s been like this for as long as 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 figures reveals the extent of disparity often exists, at times across nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of austerity and underinvestment mean a majority of local authorities now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the most deprived in the nation.

This spread of poverty has led to a sharp increase in the number of places where disadvantaged and well-off people find themselves as immediate neighbours. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the least deprived. This number increased to 119 in the most recent data.

A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space

In Grimsby, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and painfully apparent. The wall is much more than a metaphorical divide; it causes very real problems for daily routines.

• School runs that should take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long detour.
• Access to important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult.
• The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and related problems.

“People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one local, gesturing towards the corroded metal wall.

Community Spirit Amidst Hardship

At Centre4, workers stress that need transcends postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” explained chief executive a community leader.

Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the most prosperous 10% nationally.

A Similar Story: An Estate in Kent

This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by large detached homes built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment.

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

The economic divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide equivalent properties go for about £410,000.

Residents describe a tangible feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the community problems here are to do with financial hardship.”

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