The UK’s richest people are truly a mixed picture. In 2025, many that make the top of the list are mainstays, owners of some of the UK’s – or even the world’s – highest profit-generating businesses.
Investment and banking is a common source of billionaire wealth in the UK, but the wealth of richest people in the country come from surprisingly diverse sources. There’s construction equipment, chemical manufacturing, gambling and even hoovers in the top ten alone.
Every year, publications like The Sunday Times and Forbes reassess the wealth of the richest people in the UK to find out who has risen or fallen over the past 12 months. Hedge fund manager Michael Platt became the richest person in 2024, with a massive rise up from tenth in 2023. He leapfrogs INEOS – and Manchester United – owner Jim Ratcliffe in second, while James Dyson jumps up a place to third.
While the net worth of some of these individuals may seem astronomical – and they are – the UK’s richest people are not amongst the wealthiest in the world. In fact, Mr Platt, the UK’s richest, only comes in at 104th internationally. The top three remain US-based, with Elon Musk ($195bn), Jeff Bezos ($194bn), and Mark Zuckerberg ($177bn) all taking the top spots.
Here is the latest list of the UK’s richest people and their current estimated net worths:
1. Michael Platt – £14.29bn
The UK’s richest man, Michael Platt is a billionaire hedge fund manager with a estimated net worth of £14.3 billion. He co-founded BlueCrest Capital Management, Europe's third-largest hedge-fund firm, in 2000 and is currently its managing director.
Mr Platt was born in Preston, Lancashire in 1968, and graduated from London School of Economics in 1991 having studied mathematics and economics. He joined JP Morgan the same year, embarking fully on his investment career.
2. James Ratcliffe – £13.1bn
Known to many as Jim, Mr Ratcliffe recently gained prominence for his decision to become a minority shareholder of Manchester United Football Club. In 2018 he was the UK’s richest person, but has since just lost the top spot.
Mr Ratcliffe is a chemical engineer and businessman, currently chairman and chief executive of INEOS chemicals group which he founded in 1998. He was born near Manchester and graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in chemical engineering. His net worth is now £12.62 billion.
3. James Dyson – £10.8bn
Since the early 90s, James Dyson has been a household name for his ever-expanding line of innovative vacuum cleaners. His products have since expanded into high-end fans, heaters, and even hairdryers.
The massive success of Dyson has seen its owner become one of the richest people in the UK, with a net worth of £10.64 billion today.
4. Alexander Gerko – £8.26bn
Born in Russia, Alexander Gerko has been based in the UK since 2006. He is a successful financial trader and founder of XTX Markets, an algorithmic trading company.
A British citizen, Mr Gerko renounced his Russian citizenship in 2022. He was educated at the University of Moscow, but now lives in North London with his three children and wife, who is a Bank of England economist.
5. Denise Coates – £7.94bn
Denis Coates is the founder and joint chief executive of bet365, a British gambling company based in Stoke-on-Trent. She has been the highest paid female chief executive for several years, taking home £150 million in 2024.
Ms Coates founded the bet365 in 2000, launching an online gambling the following year with a £15 million loan from RBS. She co-founded the business with her father, Peter Coates, who is a board director and the former chairman of Stoke City Football Club.
6. Christopher Hohn – £7.54bn
Sir Christopher Anthony Hohn is founder and CEO of The Children's Investment Fund Management, a British hedge fund management firm. It is one of the most profitable hedge funds in the world.
The business is unique in having a successful philanthropic arm, The Children's Investment Fund Foundation. Through the charity, Sir Christopher is one of the UK’s most prominent philanthropists, giving £601 million in 2024 – 9.9 per cent of his total wealth.
7. David and Simon Reuben – £7.46bn
In sixth place are the Rueben brothers, David and Simon, who made their billions in metals and property investing. They are now primarily focused on real estate, venture capital, and private equity.
In 2021, the brothers each purchased a ten per cent stake in Newcastle United Football Club, the other 80 being bought by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. Born in Bombay, India in 1941 and 1944 respectively, David and Simon moved to London in the 1950s where they were raised in Islington.
8. Nik Storonsky – £6.27bn
One of the youngest on the list, 40-year-old Russian-born Nikolay Storonsky is co-founder and CEO of Revolut, a British based online bank and fintech company. He is also the founder of venture capital firm QuantumLight.
Born just north of Moscow in 1984, Storonsky studied at the city’s university before moving to England in 2004. In 2022 he renouncing his Russian citizenship, condemning the country’s invasion of Ukraine.
9. Anthony Bamford – £6.11bn
Anthony Bamford has been chairman of J.C. Bamford Excavators Limited since 1975, when he succeeded his father, Joseph Cyril Bamford. Founded in 1945, JCB’s yellow excavator has since become an icon of British construction.
In 2013, Anthony Bamford joined the House of Lords, being made Baron Bamford of Daylesford. Alongside his family, Mr Bamford has been a major donor to the Conservative party, giving a combined £3.2 million between 2019 and 2024.
10. Joe Lewis – £5bn
British businessman Joseph Lewis is the main investor in the Tavistock Group, which owns over 200 companies in 15 countries. He has been based in the Bahamas since 1979 following the company sale that made his initial wealth. He continues to run his business from the country, which is a tax haven.
Through the ENIC Group, Mr Lewis’ company is also majority owner of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. He was born in East London in 1937 leaving school at 15 to help run his father’s catering company.
11. Clive Calder – £4.53bn
South-African born Clive Calder became a billionaire in 2002 after selling his company, Zomba Group, for £2.7 billion. Mr Calder founded the company alongside Ralph Simon in 1971, forming successful record label Jive ten years later.
Jive Records would sign big name American artists like DJ Jazzy Jeff and Aaliyah in the early 1990s, later moving to pop acts like Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. In 2011, the label would be wound down by owners RCA.
12. John Reece – £4.21bn
Chartered accountant John Reece joined chemicals company INEOS as financial director in 2000, less than two years after it was founded by owner Jim Ratcliffe. He continues to sit on the company’s board and holds a minority stake in the massive company.
13. Andrew Currie – £4.21bn
Andrew Curries was brought into INEOS in 1999, just a year after it was founded, as a director. A natural sciences graduate from the University of Cambridge, he began his career with 15 years at BP. Mr Curries continues to hold a minority stake in INEOS.
14. Tom Morris – £3.81bn
Tom Morris has been owner of British retail chain Home Bargains since 1976. He founded the company aged 21 in his home town of Liverpool, where the highest concentration of the stores can still be found.
There are now over 600 Home Bargains locations in the UK, employing more than 34,000 staff. The business continues to grow, opening 31 locations last year.
15. John Coates – £3.65bn
John Coates is co-CEO of bet365 with his sister, Denise, who founded the business. Both siblings own a quarter of the firm which is one of the largest online gambling companies in the world.
In 2015, Mr Coates became vice chairman of Stoke City Football Club.
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