BBC NEWS | England | Lancashire (2024)

The UK's communities are fragmenting along economic lines, with neighbourhoods increasingly made up of people with a similar level of wealth, research suggests.

Changing UK, a report compiled by the University of Sheffield, paints a picture of a country where rich ghettos rubbing up against their poorer equivalents could become the norm.

But the county of Lancashire, with its mix of working class coastal resorts and proud mill heritage, has the highest percentage of what researchers call "non-poor, non-wealthy" people.

It may have its rich pockets, such as the Ribble Valley, but put simply, 61.8% of people in Lancashire are "comfortable".

And according to Professor Danny Dorling's team, the area with the lowest number of rich and poor is the town of Great Harwood, near Accrington, where 70% are "non-poor, non-wealthy".

Taken in isolation, the statistics would appear to suggest high levels of equality; a town where people are less divided by their relative wealth.

There is a very distinct divide in Great Harwood Lynn Morris, councillor

But according to local councillor Lynn Morris the reality is different.

Great Harwood is spilt into two wards - Overton and Netherton - which are still known by locals as higher town and lower town.

"This actually comes from days of the Trappes-Lomax and Hesketh families when Great Harwood was very much owned by wealthy people," she told the BBC.

"It still exists to this day to an extent, in that Overton is loaded with better facilities. There is a very distinct divide in Great Harwood.

"There is a large element in Great Harwood who would rather align themselves with the Ribble Valley area as opposed to the town," she added.

Changing UK was commissioned by the BBC to look at how the UK's neighbourhoods and communities have changed in the past 40 years.

The research shows a rise in the number of people living in Lancashire who are deemed to be "breadline poor" - which it defines as people living below a relative poverty line and, as such, excluded from participating in the norms of society.

In 1980, 15% of the area's population were deemed to be poor, rising to 19.2% in 1990 and 25.7% in 2000.

At the same time those who are "asset wealthy" dropped from 20.2% in 1990 to 12.5% in 2000.

The Ribble Valley, with its trail of fine restaurants and stone cottages, is seen as one of Lancashire's most desirable areas and 33.2% of its residents are deemed wealthy.

Although some Great Harwood residents eye the valley jealously, Mrs Morris, 62, who has lived in the town for most of her life, admits the wealth statistics are reflected in the town.

'Different priorities'

"I think, probably, the number of people who are loaded in Great Harwood are few and far between," she said.

"Unless some of them are hiding their light under a bushel, in which case they can come and help the town - Great Harwood Rovers Football Club needs £300,000 for new changing rooms.

"But I meet a lot of people and I don't personally know a lot that are mega-rich.

"There is probably an edge of poverty but I doubt there is a great deal... They are a canny bunch, I think they do watch what they are are doing with their money."

Mrs Morris thinks the majority of Great Harwood residents will share her belief that a person can feel "rich" in a variety of ways, such as having close family and friends in the area.

Mrs Morris added: "There isn't a need to be filthy rich and I think perhaps people's priorities are slightly different here.

"I think it's about how they feel about society and how they aspire to keep up standards and equality of life. Richness and equality don't go hand-in-hand."

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