The Rising ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: How Prosperity and Hardship Are Found Side by Side in England.
In a postwar estate known as ‘The Nunny’, residents occupy properties just a few metres from their wealthier counterparts in the adjacent Scartho. A six-foot-tall barricade literally divides the two communities in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, blocking off paths and streets that once linked them.
“It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It has been there for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think 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 disparity can run, sometimes across little 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 almost two-thirds of local authorities now contain a locality classified as one of the poorest in the country.
The geographical widening of poverty has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of locations where disadvantaged and affluent people end up living side by side. In 2019, just 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the most recent data.
A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space
In Grimsby, the gap is the biggest in the country and painfully apparent. The wall transcends being just a symbolic divide; it causes very real difficulties for daily routines.
- School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long journey.
- Reaching key amenities like supermarkets, schools and care homes is hindered.
- The area can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of rubbish being thrown over the wall and related issues.
“People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, motioning at the rusted barricade.
Community Spirit Amidst Challenges
Within a local community centre, workers emphasise that support does not recognise postcodes. “Where you live is not a reliable indicator of your level of challenge,” said director a community leader.
Regardless of being placed in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe boasts a strong sense and sense of community among its residents. By contrast, the neighbouring area is classified among the least deprived 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 most disadvantaged tenth of neighbourhoods in England. It is closely bordered by large detached homes built in the 2000s that are in the top 10% for employment and quality of surroundings.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s a stronger community,” commented a long-term resident, 63. “You’ll probably find a lot of people over there don’t even speak to each other.”
The economic gap is clear: an average family home costs about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000.
Residents describe a tangible sense of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood gets ignored,” said resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to financial hardship.”
The rise in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a picture of an ever more segregated society, where prosperity and deprivation are frequently uncomfortably in close proximity.