Social inequalities in urban areas mean extreme differences in people’s well-being and access to jobs, services, housing and education.

People who live in inner-city areas often experience a poor quality of life, because of poorly maintained housing, limited access to open spaces and a feeling of insecurity.

Some councils in the UK encourage the building of working-class housing in upper-class areas, because they reckon that socially mixed communities are good for urban health.

Gated communities
A gated community is a housing estate in which entrances are strictly controlled. If you want to visit someone who lives in a gated community, you often have to talk to a security guard first, who may then let you in or not, depending on who you are, how you look and who you are friends with.

Gated communities are almost always built inside beautiful walls or fences. They often have nice names, like “Paradise” or “Dream come true”. Inside, you will find high value properties and of course many amenities, like a swimming pool, a tennis court, a gym and possibly a small shopping centre and a health centre. While some people love living in gated communities in which they feel “protected from the outside world”, others claim they are contrary to democratic and open cities, and belong to a world of mass surveillance, increased inequality and uneasiness in accepting the world and its diversity.