Bureau van Dijk data helps reveal the rise of Britain’s self-made entrepreneurs

The Rich List 2018, compiled by the Sunday Times since 1989, shows that 94% of the wealthiest people in Britain made their own fortunes.

Using private company information such as company financials and directors’ shareholdings, provided by Bureau van Dijk, the Rich List 2018 estimates the wealth of Britain’s 1,000 richest people or families.

Rich List highlights

• The combined wealth of those on the list in 2018 is £724 billion, an increase of 10% versus the previous year (£658 billion). The data measures identifiable wealth including land, property, racehorses, art, or shares in publicly quoted companies as well as private equity portfolios. It does not include bank accounts, as these are confidential.
• The number of women on the Rich List is 141, a substantial increase since the first edition in 1989, in which only nine women featured.
• The richest person on the list is Jim Ratcliffe, whose wealth is calculated to be worth £21.05 billion.
• There are 145 billionaires on the list – 11 more than last year.

For further information, view: our products and The Times' Rich List 2018.