The Rising ‘Wealth-Poverty Gap’: The Way Prosperity and Deprivation Are Found Side by Side in Across England.

In Nunsthorpe, residents occupy homes only several yards from their more affluent neighbours in nearby Scartho. One six-foot-tall wall physically separates the two areas in the town of Grimsby, blocking off paths and streets that previously connected them.

“It’s the divide between rich and poor,” said a resident, 37. “It has been there since I’ve known. I don’t think they’ll take it down because I don’t think they’ll want to mix with us.”

An Increasingly Common National Picture

Data from government figures shows the extent of inequality often exists, sometimes across little more than a few metres of asphalt, a line of hedges or a wall. Years of budget cuts and underinvestment have led to a situation where almost two-thirds of councils now have a neighbourhood ranking as one of the poorest in the country.

This geographical widening of deprivation has led to a significant increase in the quantity of locations where deprived and well-off people end up as immediate neighbours. In 2019, just 65 of the most deprived neighbourhoods bordered one of the least deprived. This number rose to 119 in the most recent data.

A Barrier Which Does More Than Separate Space

In Grimsby, the divide is the most pronounced in the UK and starkly apparent. The barrier transcends being just a metaphorical divide; it creates very real difficulties for daily routines.

• The school commute that ought to take 15-20 minutes turn into an hour-long journey.
• Reaching key amenities like supermarkets, educational facilities and employment centres is made more difficult.
• The site can attract antisocial behaviour, with instances of litter being dumped over the wall and related issues.

“You try to have a nice house and nice garden, and then you live opposite that,” said one resident, gesturing towards the rusted metal wall.

Local Bonds Against a Backdrop of Hardship

At a local community centre, staff stress that need transcends addresses. “Your postcode is not a reliable indicator of your personal struggles,” explained director Tracey Good.

Despite ranking in the most deprived 10% for multiple deprivation indicators, Nunsthorpe retains a fierce loyalty and sense of community among its residents. Meanwhile, the neighbouring area ranks among the least deprived 10% nationally.

Echoes Elsewhere: An Estate in Kent

This phenomenon is mirrored across the country. The Stanhope estate in Kent, a 1960s housing development, is in the 10% most deprived of areas in the country. It is immediately adjacent by large houses built in the early 2000s that are in the top 10% for job prospects and living environment.

“They may possess bigger houses, but here there’s more community,” commented Phil Hockley, 63. “It’s likely many people in the new builds don’t even speak to each other.”

The financial divide is evident: an average three-bedroom house sells for about £275,000 on the estate, while on the other side comparable homes fetch about £410,000.

Locals speak of a palpable sense of being overlooked. “This part of the community is neglected,” said resident Susan. “In this area our amenities have slowly been taken away, and most of the issues we face here are to do with financial hardship.”

The increase in these ‘inequality borders’ paints a portrait of an ever more segregated society, where wealth and deprivation are often uncomfortably in close proximity.