A Rising ‘Posh-Poor Divide’: The Way Prosperity and Hardship Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in properties just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho village. A six-foot-tall barricade literally divides the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off roads and walkways that previously linked them.
“This is the posh-poor divide,” remarked a resident, 37. “It has been there 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 Pattern Across the Country
Data from official statistics reveals how deep disparity often exists, at times across little more than a short distance of tarmac, a line of hedges or a barrier. Decades of budget cuts and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now contain a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the country.
The spread of deprivation has led to a sharp rise in the number of places where disadvantaged and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the most deprived areas bordered one of the wealthiest. This number increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Barrier Which Divides More Than Space
At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and painfully obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical division; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines.
- School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute journey.
- Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered.
- The area can attract antisocial behaviour, with reports of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other issues.
“People strive to maintain a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” noted one local, motioning at the corroded metal wall.
Community Spirit Against a Backdrop of Challenges
Within Centre4, staff stress that support transcends postcodes. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” said director Tracey Good.
Despite ranking in the lowest 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a fierce loyalty and feeling of togetherness among its inhabitants. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the least deprived 10% overall.
Echoes Elsewhere: Stanhope in Ashford
This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is closely bordered by large detached homes built in the early 2000s that are in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment.
“They might have larger properties, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial gap is evident: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide equivalent homes go for about £410,000.
Locals describe a palpable feeling of neglect. “This part of the community gets ignored,” stated holistic health worker Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our amenities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the community problems here are related to poverty.”
The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ presents a portrait of an ever more divided England, where wealth and need are often uncomfortably in close proximity.
