🔗 Share this article A Rising ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: The Way Prosperity and Hardship Now Sit Cheek by Jowl in England. Within a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in nearby Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high barricade physically divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously connected them. “It’s the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, aged 37. “It has been there 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 Data from official statistics shows how deep inequality often exists, sometimes across little more than a few metres of asphalt, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of budget cuts and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the country. This spread of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of places where disadvantaged and affluent people find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure rose to 119 in the most recent data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land At this Lincolnshire site, the gap is the biggest in the UK and starkly obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical division; it creates tangible problems for everyday life. School runs that should take 15-20 minutes become an sixty-minute detour. Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult. The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and related issues. “People strive to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, gesturing towards the rusted barricade. Community Spirit Against a Backdrop of Hardship Within Centre4, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director a community leader. Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall. A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They might have bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there don’t even speak to each other.” The economic divide is clear: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” said holistic health worker Susan. “In this area our amenities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the community problems here are to do with poverty.” The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an increasingly segregated England, where prosperity and need are often awkwardly close neighbours.
Within a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants live in homes just a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in nearby Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high barricade physically divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously connected them. “It’s the posh-poor divide,” said a resident, aged 37. “It has been there 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 Data from official statistics shows how deep inequality often exists, sometimes across little more than a few metres of asphalt, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of budget cuts and lack of funding have led to a situation where a majority of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the country. This spread of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of places where disadvantaged and affluent people find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, just 65 of the poorest areas adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure rose to 119 in the most recent data. A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land At this Lincolnshire site, the gap is the biggest in the UK and starkly obvious. The wall is much more than a metaphorical division; it creates tangible problems for everyday life. School runs that should take 15-20 minutes become an sixty-minute detour. Reaching important amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult. The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and related issues. “People strive to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, gesturing towards the rusted barricade. Community Spirit Against a Backdrop of Hardship Within Centre4, workers emphasise that support transcends addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director a community leader. Regardless of ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% overall. A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford This phenomenon is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century housing development, is in the most disadvantaged tenth of areas in the country. It is closely bordered by large houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment. “They might have bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people over there don’t even speak to each other.” The economic divide is clear: an typical three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000. Locals describe a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” said holistic health worker Susan. “In this area our amenities have gradually disappeared, and the majority of the community problems here are to do with poverty.” The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an increasingly segregated England, where prosperity and need are often awkwardly close neighbours.