A Growing ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: How Affluence and Deprivation Are Found Side by Side in England.
Within Nunsthorpe, residents occupy properties only several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. One 1.8-metre-high wall literally divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off roads and walkways that previously linked them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It has been there for as long as I’ve known. I doubt they’ll bring it down because I suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”
An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country
Analysis of official figures shows the extent of disparity often exists, sometimes across nothing more than a short distance of tarmac, 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 classified as one of the most deprived in the country.
This spread of poverty has led to a sharp rise in the number of places where deprived and well-off residents find themselves living side by side. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the most deprived areas bordered one of the least deprived. This number increased to 119 in the latest data.
A Wall That Divides More Than Space
In Grimsby, the gap is the most pronounced in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier is much more than a metaphorical division; it causes very real difficulties for everyday life.
- School runs that should take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long detour.
- Reaching important services like supermarkets, educational facilities and care homes is hindered.
- The area can attract vandalism and loitering, with instances of rubbish being dumped over the wall and other problems.
“You try to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one local, motioning at the corroded metal wall.
Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Challenges
Within a local community centre, staff stress that need transcends addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said director Tracey Good.
Regardless of ranking in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe boasts a fierce loyalty and feeling of togetherness among its residents. By contrast, Scartho is classified among the least deprived 10% overall.
A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford
This pattern is repeated across the country. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a 1960s overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is closely bordered by spacious houses built in the 2000s that sit in the top 10% for employment and living environment.
“They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, aged 63. “You’ll probably find many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial divide is clear: an typical three-bedroom house costs about £275,000 on the estate, while across the divide comparable properties fetch about £410,000.
Residents speak of a tangible feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” stated resident Susan Riley-Nevers. “In this area our facilities have slowly been taken away, and the majority of the community problems here are to do with financial hardship.”
The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a portrait of an ever more divided England, where prosperity and need are frequently awkwardly in close proximity.