The Surrey Split: shocking wealth gap in the 'leafy' county

BEHIND Surrey’s leafy wealth and prosperity lies a level of wealth disparity that is hard to find anywhere else in the country.

- By JOSEPH BICKLE

A rough sleeper's bed outside an empty shop in Guildford

(CHRIS MCKEON)

As with anywhere across Great Britain or the world, there are areas considered nice and affluent, while others are considered the opposite.

According to Government data, Surrey has some of the most significant wealth disparities in England, outside of London and other major cities.

In many towns in Surrey, there are areas considered to be some of the most affluent in the nation, just a minute’s drive away from neighbourhoods that score some of the highest on deprivation metrics.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), income inequality refers to the disparity in how income is distributed among a population.

It does not pertain to how rich or poor an area is, but rather the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest.

The Government's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) released data for the ‘indices of deprivation’ in England in 2025 late last year.

Not long after, the Office for National — Statistics (ONS) released statistics for income estimates in small areas across England and Wales.