Overview

• Resolution Foundation analysis of ONS data estimates a £1.3 million hurdle to move from the middle to the top wealth decile, up from 38 years of earnings in 2006–08 to 52 years in 2020–22.
• Britain’s household wealth reached about £17 trillion in 2020–22, roughly 7.5 times GDP, with around 32% in property and 48% in pensions.
• Most recent gains were passive, with rising house prices and pension valuations accounting for a majority of wealth growth and disproportionately benefiting older, asset‑owning households.
• Absolute gaps widened even as relative shares stayed stable, with the richest tenth holding about half of all wealth and the top–middle gap rising to £1.3 million.
• Inequalities vary sharply by age and region, including a £310,000 gap between people in their early 30s and early 60s, median wealth of £290,000 in the South East versus £110,000 in the North East, and London showing the lowest median but the greatest dispersion.