Introduction: UK richest families now worth £784bn.
Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial markets and the world economy.
Britain's wealthiest individuals have increased their fortunes over the past year.
The latest Rich List has just been published, revealing that the combined wealth of the UK’s 350 richest individuals and families rose by 1.4% in the last year to £784 billion.
The total number of billionaires in Britain has increased by one, reaching 157. This follows a peak of 177 in 2022, after which the billionaire count had declined for three consecutive years.
While this significant accumulation of wealth may intensify discussions about higher taxes on the wealthy, the Rich List also indicates that some billionaires have left the UK to avoid wealth taxes.
“This year’s Rich List is a tale of two exoduses. One in six of the individuals and families who appeared on the list two years ago don’t feature this time.
“Many foreign billionaires who have been living in the UK have also dropped out because they have moved away. We have also seen a sharp rise in the number of British nationals now resident in Dubai, Switzerland and Monaco. As UK nationals these people remain on our Rich List - wherever they now live.
“These two exoduses pose challenges for the UK economy and its public finances. Will more of the wealthy now set up or grow their ventures overseas and in doing so create fewer jobs here? How much tax – if any – will Rachel Reeves’ Treasury be able to extract from those affluent Brits who have now left the country.”
Robert Watts, compiler of the Rich List, provided these insights.
Topping the list once again is the Hinduja family, valued at £38 billion through their Indian conglomerate, the Hinduja Group. This year, the award is shared by “Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja and family” following the death of Gopichand Hinduja, head of Britain’s richest family, in November last year.
Other notable names in the top ten include the Reuben family, known for their property interests; the Weston family, whose AB Foods business owns Primark; crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne (discussed in detail below); and Revolut co-founder Nik Storonsky.
Top ten wealth rankings are as follows:
- Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja and family: £38bn
- David and Simon Reuben and family: £27.971bn
- Sir Leonard Blavatnik: £26.852bn
- Idan Ofer: £24.481bn
- Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family: £18.939bn
- Christopher Harborne: £18.177bn
- Igor and Dmitry Bukhman: £14.26bn
The rankings are based on estimated wealth as of April 24, 2026.
To enter the list at 350th place, an individual or family must have a minimum of £340 million, a decrease of £10 million from the previous year, which Watts describes as “another indicator of the sluggish economic environment.”
The agenda
- 1.30pm BST: NY Empire State manufacturing index
- 2.15pm BST: US industrial production report for April
- 5pm BST: Russian GDP and inflation report
Noel and Liam crash the rich list
Oasis musicians Noel and Liam Gallagher have entered the rich list with a combined fortune estimated at approximately £375 million.
This follows their successful reunion tour last year, which generated nearly £400 million. The Sunday Times notes this has “provided the perfect warm-up act for a sale of the group’s song rights.”
Billionaire Beckhams!
New billionaires this year include Sir David and Victoria Beckham.
Their combined fortune has more than doubled over the last year, rising to £1.185 billion from £500 million in 2025.
A significant part of this increase stems from David Beckham’s stake in the US football club Inter Miami, which was purchased for $25 million and is now valued at £300 million.
The property complex developed around Inter Miami’s stadium, Nu Stadium, also contributes to their wealth. The Sunday Times explains:
“The 131-acre Freedom Park development encompasses shops, offices, restaurants, and parkland and residential homes. The Beckhams’ investment here should be worth another £370 million.”
In addition to property, Victoria Beckham’s fashion brand is a valuable asset.
Sources close to Neo Investment Partners, which co-owns the business, estimate its value at £375 million, making the Beckhams’ 35% stake worth approximately £130 million.
Dyson and Ratcliffe drop down rich list
Not all billionaires increased their wealth last year. Sir James Dyson and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are among those whose fortunes have declined significantly.
Dyson’s estimated wealth has decreased by £8.8 billion to £12 billion, largely due to lower revenues at his electricals empire, which has been affected in part by tariffs imposed during Donald Trump’s administration. This decline has caused Dyson and family to fall to 13th place on the list from 4th last year.
Ratcliffe, owner of chemicals giant Ineos and a stake in Manchester United, has dropped from 7th to 9th place.
Ineos has faced a prolonged downturn in demand and intense competition from inexpensive imports, resulting in increased debt and a loss last year.
Christopher Harborne in 6th place on Rich List
A new entrant to the Rich List Top Ten this year is Christopher Harborne.
According to the Rich List, the Thailand-based investor’s estimated wealth exceeds £18 billion, making him the wealthiest British-born entrepreneur.
Robert Watts, who compiles the list, ranked Harborne 6th overall after evaluating the “diverse range of businesses owned by the Yorkshire-born investor.”
A substantial portion of Harborne’s estimated wealth derives from his stake in Tether, the cryptocurrency firm that issues stablecoins. Tether has been valued at $200 billion based on private share sales. Harborne owns 12% of the company, corresponding to a stake worth approximately £17.7 billion.
“Harborne, 63, has lived in Thailand for nearly 30 years. Many of his companies are based in countries where obligations to report profits, revenues and other financial information are less onerous than in the UK. This has long posed significant challenges for anyone trying to assess his personal fortune.”
His most identifiable UK asset is his holding in QinetiQ, a Hampshire-based defence contractor listed on the London Stock Exchange and a member of the FTSE 250 index. Harborne is the largest shareholder, owning a 14.2% stake valued at £357 million when the Rich List was compiled.
Watts also notes Harborne’s ownership of IFX Payments, a money transfer company based in the City of London, and reports that he owns Eclipse Aerospace, a private jet manufacturer located in Albuquerque.
However, Watts adds that the £18 billion figure could be an underestimate, as some of Harborne’s companies and assets are difficult to value.
Harborne made headlines last month following an investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog related to Nigel Farage, who has claimed that Tether could be worth $500 billion, which would imply Harborne’s stake could be valued at £44 billion.
