Total wealth in Great Britain: April 2018 to March 2020

Today, the ONS has published two bulletins looking at the main results of household and individual wealth from the seventh round of the Wealth and Assets Survey covering the period April 2018 to March 2020.

Household total wealth in Great Britain: April 2018 to March 2020 shows:

• Median household net wealth in Great Britain was £302,500, a marginal increase on the previous period but a 20% increase compared to July 2006 to June 2008, after adjusting for inflation.
• The wealth of the richest 1% of households was more than £3.6 million, compared with £15,400 or less for the least wealthy 10%; wealth inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient has remained stable over the last 14 years.
• Household median wealth was highest in the South East at £503,400, having risen 43% since 2006 (after adjusting for inflation); wealth was lowest in the North East at £168,500.

Distribution of individual total wealth by characteristic in Great Britain: April 2018 to March 2020 shows:

• Wealth is unevenly distributed between individuals in Great Britain with the wealthiest 10% estimated to hold around half of all wealth, primarily in the form of private pensions and property.
• Between April 2018 and March 2020, median individual wealth was £157,000 higher in the South East than the North East of England and this regional disparity has increased over time.
• On average individual wealth increases with age, peaking in the 60-to-64 age group at a level nine times as high as the 30-to-34 age group, before falling in older age groups as people use their wealth to support life in retirement.
• While age was the best predictor of individual wealth, wealth was also lower for women (negative £101,000 compared with men) and those with a longstanding illness or disability (negative £65,000 compared with those without), identifying as bisexual (negative £65,000 compared with heterosexual) or from several ethnic minority groups, after adjusting for other characteristic differences between groups.
• An individual’s education and the way they make a living are also important factors for their wealth prospects, with positive associations modelled between wealth and degree-level qualifications, higher socioeconomic class occupations and public sector employment.

Go to our release

Vital ONS data on COVID-19

Details of all of the statistics and analysis the ONS is producing on the prevalence and impact of COVID-19 and the UK’s vaccine rollout can be found at ONS.gov.uk/coronavirus

Please note the ONS is still publishing market sensitive releases at 07:00.  Other statistics are being released at 09:30 as usual.

Follow our latest news and get an insight into the work behind the numbers by following @ONSfocus on Twitter. 

To arrange broadcast or print interviews, please contact Media Relations on 0845 604 1858 or 0203 684 5070 or email Media.Relations@ons.gov.uk