The Rising ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: The Way Affluence and Hardship Are Found Side by Side in England.
In Nunsthorpe, inhabitants live in properties just a few metres from their wealthier neighbours in nearby Scartho. A six-foot-tall wall literally divides the two areas in the town of Grimsby, sealing off paths and streets that previously linked them.
“This is the divide between rich and poor,” 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 suspect they’ll want to associate with us.”
An Increasingly Common National Picture
Analysis of government figures reveals the extent of disparity often exists, sometimes across little more than a short distance of asphalt, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of austerity and lack of funding mean a majority of local authorities now contain a neighbourhood ranking as one of the most deprived in the nation.
This geographical widening of deprivation has led to a sharp increase in the quantity of locations where disadvantaged and affluent people end up living side by side. Just a few years ago, only 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods adjoined one of the wealthiest. That figure increased to 119 in the latest data.
A Wall That Divides More Than Space
At this Lincolnshire site, the divide is the biggest in the country and painfully obvious. The wall transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it causes very real difficulties for everyday life.
- School runs that should take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long journey.
- Reaching important services like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is hindered.
- The site often sees antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being thrown over the wall and other issues.
“You try to maintain a well-kept home and garden, and then you reside facing that,” noted one resident, gesturing towards the rusted barricade.
Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Challenges
At Centre4, staff emphasise that need does not recognise addresses. “Your postcode doesn’t necessarily indicate your level of challenge,” said chief executive Tracey Good.
Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for income, employment, education, health and crime, the estate retains a strong sense and sense of community among its inhabitants. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the most prosperous 10% nationally.
Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent
This phenomenon is repeated nationally. The Stanhope area in Ashford, Kent, a mid-century overspill estate, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in England. It is immediately adjacent by spacious detached homes built in the early 2000s that are in the top 10% for job prospects and quality of surroundings.
“They may possess larger properties, but here there’s more community,” said Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”
The financial gap is evident: an typical family home sells for about £275,000 on the Stanhope estate, while across the divide comparable homes go for about £410,000.
Residents speak of a palpable feeling of being overlooked. “This part of the community is neglected,” stated holistic health worker Susan. “In this area our amenities have gradually disappeared, and most of the issues we face here are related to poverty.”
The increase in these ‘deprivation divides’ paints a portrait of an ever more divided society, where wealth and need are often awkwardly close neighbours.
