A Growing ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: How Prosperity and Hardship Are Found Cheek by Jowl in Across England.
Within a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, inhabitants occupy properties just a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho. A 1.8-metre-high barricade physically divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, sealing off paths and streets that previously linked them.
“It’s the posh-poor divide,” said Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”
An Increasingly Common National Picture
Data from government figures reveals how deep disparity can run, at times across little more than a few metres of asphalt, a hedge row or a barrier. Years of austerity and lack of funding mean almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the poorest in the nation.
This spread of poverty has led to a significant rise in the number of places where disadvantaged and well-off people end up as immediate neighbours. In 2019, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the wealthiest. This number increased to 119 in the latest data.
A Barrier Which Divides More Than Land
In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the UK and starkly obvious. The barrier transcends being just a symbolic divide; it causes tangible problems for everyday life.
- School runs that ought to take a quarter of an hour become an sixty-minute detour.
- Access to key amenities like supermarkets, schools and employment centres is hindered.
- The area can attract vandalism and loitering, with reports of litter being dumped over the wall and other issues.
“People strive to have a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, gesturing towards the rusted metal wall.
Community Spirit Amidst Hardship
Within a local community centre, workers emphasise that need does not recognise addresses. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” said director a community leader.
Regardless of being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, the estate boasts a strong sense and feeling of community among its residents. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 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 detached homes built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment.
“They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, aged 63. “It’s likely a lot of people over there never even talk to each other.”
The financial gap is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable properties go for about £410,000.
Residents describe a tangible sense of neglect. “This part of the community gets ignored,” said resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “Over here our facilities 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 picture of an increasingly divided England, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably close neighbours.
