The first rich list since Rachel Reeves’ non-dom tax changes has seen the biggest fall in billionaires on record, the third year on the trot for the downturn in the number of billionaires living in the UK.
Robert Watts, compiler of the Rich List said: “The combined wealth of those who feature in our research is falling.
“We are also finding fewer of the world’s super rich are coming to live in the UK.”
Despite this observation, here at What’s the Plan Stan?, we’ve been fascinated by the range of business sectors represented by the Rich List, from home-grown young tech companies, to traditional firms who’ve been in business for centuries.
Take the biggest risers for example, at no. 10, Russian born brothers Igor and Dmitry Bukhman who’ve built £12.45bn of wealth from mobile games, played by more than 100 million people.
Founded in 1887, William Grant and Sons whisky dynasty sits at no. 29 with a £6.398bn fortune, up from £5.619 in 2024. No obvious adverse effects from trade tariffs here!
What about our home-grown Yorkshire entrepreneurs?
At no. 118 is the York-based Shepherd Family, with a worth of £1.35bn following their sale of their trademarked Portakabin business in 2024.
Paul Sykes is at no. 205, having made his current £775m from car dealing and Planet Online, an early ISP, after leaving school with no qualifications.
The vast wealth of individuals counted on The Sunday Times Rich List is hard for the majority of us to imagine and will always be a divisive topic that challenges social equality and the foundations of a free market.
Here at What’s the Plan Stan? We’re interested in your ambitions and how we can help you realise them. You may not get on the Rich List, but we’ll get you where you need to be.
The Sunday Times Rich List 2025 | The Times and The Sunday Times
