Former England football captain David Beckham has become the UK’s first billionaire sportsman, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List, while Noel Gallagher and Liam Gallagher have appeared in the annual ranking for the first time.
The Sunday Times estimates the combined wealth of David and Victoria Beckham at £1.2 billion. The Gallagher brothers are estimated to hold a combined fortune of £375 million.
The annual ranking tracks the 350 richest individuals and families connected to the UK based on identifiable wealth including property, investments, art, company shares, and other assets.
Hinduja Family Retains Top Position
Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja and their family retained the top position on the list for a fifth consecutive year with an estimated fortune of £38 billion.
The brothers oversee the Hinduja Group, which operates across sectors including oil, gas, banking, and transport.
The top 10 richest individuals and families listed by the Sunday Times are:
- Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja and family (£38bn)
- David and Simon Reuben and family (£27.9bn)
- Sir Leonard Blavatnik (£26.8bn)
- Idan Ofer (£24.4bn)
- Guy, George, Alannah and Galen Weston and family (£18.9bn)
- Christopher Harborne (£18.1bn)
- Nik Storonsky (£16.4bn)
- Alex Gerko (£16bn)
- Jim Ratcliffe (£15.1bn)
- Igor and Dmitry Bukhman (£14.2bn)
This year’s largest wealth increases were recorded by fintech entrepreneur Nik Storonsky, co-founder of Revolut, and trader Alex Gerko.
According to the Sunday Times, the UK now has 157 billionaires, down from 177 four years ago.
King Charles Overtakes Rishi Sunak In Wealth Rankings
King Charles III saw his estimated wealth rise by £40 million to £680 million, moving him to number 230 on the list.
That increase places him ahead of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, whose combined wealth is estimated at £563 million.
The Beckham family’s wealth reportedly doubled over the past year, helping David Beckham become the first British sports figure to cross the billionaire threshold.
Among the largest declines on this year’s list was inventor James Dyson, whose wealth fell by £8.8 billion to £12 billion.
Jim Ratcliffe, part-owner of Manchester United, also saw his fortune decline from £17 billion to £15.19 billion.
The Sunday Times said Dyson’s revenue decline was partly linked to tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump.
New Entrants Include Emily Eavis And Christopher Harborne
A new entrant to the list is Emily Eavis and her family, whose estimated wealth stands at £400 million.
Speaking to the BBC previously, Eavis discussed the commercial pressures surrounding the Glastonbury Festival.
“As much as there is talk about our profit, which we do still need to have in order to recover and also to get land, we also try to give away as much money as we can,” she said.
She added that fully commercialising the festival would fundamentally change its identity.
Entrepreneur Christopher Harborne also entered the rankings in sixth place with an estimated fortune of £18.1 billion.
Harborne has recently drawn attention for political donations to Reform UK, including a reported £5 million donation to Nigel Farage in 2024.
Other well-known figures appearing on the list include Elton John, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, J.K. Rowling, Charlotte Tilbury, Brian May, and Lewis Hamilton.
Migration Trends Affect The Rich List
According to the Sunday Times, at least 15 foreign nationals who appeared on last year’s list were removed after relocating outside the UK.
The publication also said nearly one-third of British citizens featured in the rankings no longer live on the British mainland.
Robert Watts, compiler of the Rich List, described the trend as “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,” Watts said.
He added that increasing numbers of wealthy British nationals are now residing in Dubai, Switzerland, and Monaco.
AI Entrepreneurs Feature In 40 Under 40 Rankings
The publication also released its separate “40 Under 40” rankings focused on younger wealthy individuals.
Boxer Tyson Fury appeared among the debutants.
According to the Sunday Times, 34 people on the list built their fortunes independently, while nearly one-third are connected to London-based AI startups.
The wealthiest figures in the under-40 category were the Duke and Duchess of Westminster with an estimated fortune of £9.7 billion.
Ben Francis ranked fifth with an estimated £800 million fortune after building sportswear company Gymshark following his decision to leave university.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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