Posh-poor divide': the rise in areas of England where wealth and deprivation appear side by side

"The homes of people in Nunsthorpe, a postwar former council housing estate known locally as The Nunny, sit only a few metres away from their more affluent neighbours in Scartho with their conservatories and driveways. Walking between the two is almost impossible because of a 1.8-metre-high (6ft) barricade between them, which blocks off roads and walkways that link the two areas in Grimsby, Lincolnshire."

"It's the posh-poor divide, said Serenity Colley, 37, who lives on the Nunsthorpe estate with her partner and children. It has been there for as long as I've known, since the new estate was built. I don't think they'll bring it down because I don't think they'll want to mix with us. In some ways I don't blame them because they are spending a lot of money on those houses, they want to protect what they've got. There's a massive gap and it's blatantly obvious."

"Years of austerity and underinvestment mean almost two-thirds of councils now contain a neighbourhood that ranks as one of the most deprived in the country, compared with just under half in 2004. As deprivation has become more geographically widespread, there has been a stark increase in the number of places where deprived and affluent people find themselves living side by side."

Residents in Nunsthorpe live only metres from affluent Scartho neighbours yet face a 1.8-metre barricade blocking direct access, turning seconds-long journeys into 25-minute detours across fields or hospital grounds. Local residents describe a clear posh-poor divide and perceive deliberate separation. Figures from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government show deep local inequality, with almost two-thirds of councils now containing a neighbourhood among the country's most deprived, up from under half in 2004. Years of austerity and underinvestment have widened the geographical spread of deprivation. New-build estates adjacent to social housing contribute to sharp contrasts between neighbouring areas.

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