A Growing ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: How Prosperity and Deprivation Now Sit Side by Side in Across England.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants occupy homes just a few metres from their more affluent neighbours in the adjacent Scartho. A six-foot-tall wall physically separates the two communities in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously connected them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” remarked Serenity Colley, aged 37. “It’s been like this for as long as I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to associate with us.”
An Increasingly Common Pattern Across the Country
Data from government figures reveals how deep inequality often exists, sometimes across little more than a short distance of tarmac, a hedge row or a barrier. Decades of austerity and underinvestment have led to a situation where a majority of councils now contain a neighbourhood classified as one of the poorest in the country.
The geographical widening of deprivation has coincided with a significant rise in the quantity of locations where deprived and affluent residents find themselves living side by side. In 2019, just 65 of the poorest neighbourhoods bordered one of the least deprived. This number rose to 119 in the latest data.
A Wall That Does More Than Separate Land
In Grimsby, the divide is the most pronounced in the country and starkly apparent. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it creates tangible problems for daily routines.
- School runs that ought to take 15-20 minutes become an hour-long journey.
- Access to important services like grocery stores, schools and employment centres is hindered.
- The area often sees vandalism and loitering, with reports of rubbish being dumped over the wall and related problems.
“People strive to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, motioning at the corroded metal wall.
Local Bonds Amidst Challenges
At Centre4, staff emphasise that need does not recognise addresses. “Where you live doesn’t necessarily indicate your personal struggles,” explained director a community leader.
Despite being placed in the lowest 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and feeling of community among its inhabitants. By contrast, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally.
A Similar Story: Stanhope in Ashford
This pattern is repeated nationally. 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 early 2000s that sit in the wealthiest tenth for job prospects and living environment.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s more 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 financial divide is clear: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while on the other side equivalent properties go for about £410,000.
Residents speak of a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “Our neighbourhood is neglected,” said resident Susan. “Over here our facilities have slowly been taken away, and most of the community problems here are to do with poverty.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ presents a picture of an ever more segregated society, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably in close proximity.
