1,000 Richest People In UK Rise In Wealth

The 1,000 richest people in Britain saw their wealth rise 15% last year to £519bn, latest figures have revealed.

Despite many people's wages falling in real terms, The Sunday Times' annual Rich List suggests the most well-off Britons now own the equivalent of a third of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

As well as the familiar names of Sir Richard Branson, Roman Abramovich and Sir Philip Green, the 2014 list features a number of new entrants.

They include Riccardo Zacconi, chief executive of King Digital Entertainment, and three other staff at the company behind the hugely popular Candy Crush Saga game.

Former Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy and the brothers who masterminded the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Dan and Sam Houser, also join the top 1,000.

Philip Beresford, who has compiled the Rich List since 1989, said: "I've never seen such a phenomenal rise in personal wealth as the growth in the fortunes of Britain's 1,000 richest people over the past year.

"The richest people in Britain have had an astonishing year.

"While some may criticise them, many of these people are at the heart of the economy and their success brings more jobs and more wealth for the country."

This year's Rich List features 114 women - down four from 2013 but up 36 on a decade ago.

They include Tamara Mellon, who co-founded the Jimmy Choo shoes brand, and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

The majority of those on the list live in London, with 438 of the richest 1,000 - collectively worth £331bn - calling the capital their home.

By contrast, the North East has the fewest, with 20 in total, worth a combined £8.6bn.

Sky News