Overview
- Resolution Foundation analysis of ONS 2020–22 data finds a £1.3 million gap between the middle and the top wealth decile, up from £1.0 million in 2006–08.
- Britain’s household wealth reached about £17 trillion in 2020–22—nearly 7.5 times GDP—with roughly 32% held in property and 48% in pensions.
- Most wealth growth since the early 2010s came from passive gains such as rising house prices and pension revaluations, concentrating benefits among older, asset‑owning households.
- The age gap has widened sharply, with people in their early 60s holding on average £310,000 more than those in their early 30s, compared with £135,000 in 2006–08.
- Regional divides persist, with median wealth per adult around £290,000 in the South East versus £110,000 in the North East, and London showing the starkest inequality despite a low median.