The top 20 richest people in UK 2021 and interesting facts

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021 and interesting facts

The richest people in the UK are definitely not immune to coronavirus. Global stock markets are crumbling as the pandemic expands and billionaires' fortunes are taking a hit. As of March 2020, when Forbes finalized the list, they counted 2095 billionaires in the world.

richest people in UK
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

There were 58 fewer billionaires on the list than a year ago, and some people who remain on the list are 51% less wealthy than they were the previous year.

The richest people in UK 2021 list

The world’s wealthiest people are worth $8 trillion altogether, down $700 billion from the year before. In this article, we take a look at people still raking in the riches even during the tumultuous times the world has to endure during the virus.

20. Bernard Ecclestone & family net worth: $3.4 B

Richest people in UK 2021
Ecclestone in Austria on August 11, 2019. Photo: Mirco Lazzari, Yegor AleyevTASS (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

The man dubbed 'F1 Supremo' took F1 from a niche racing competition to a global phenomenon over a four-decade career. Fun fact: Bernard Ecclestone met his former wife Slavica while jetting from race to race in the 1980s.

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19. Peter Hargreaves net worth: $3.9 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Peter Hargreaves, executive director of Hargreaves Lansdown Plc, poses for a photograph in London, 2010. Photo: Chris Ratcliffe
Source: Getty Images

Peter Hargreaves and pal Stephan Lansdown founded the financial services firm from his bedroom in England, 1981. Fun fact: Peter is reportedly the second biggest financial backer of Brexit and has donated more than $4 million.

18. Michael Ashley net worth: $3.9 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley, Newcastle United's managing director during the FA Cup Fourth Round Replay match in 2020. Photo: Marc Atkins
Source: Getty Images

Michael Ashley started Sports Direct in 1982 when he was 18 years old; it is the UK's largest sporting goods retailer. Fun fact: Michael bought the famed soccer club Newcastle United and is still trying to sell it.

17. David & Frederick Barclay net worth: $4.4 B

Richest people in UK 2021
British businessmen, Sir Frederick Barclay (left) and his twin brother, Sir David Barclay, outside Buckingham Palace. Photo: Photoshot
Source: Getty Images

The identical twins are best known for their real estate and hotel portfolios. They sold the Ritz Hotel in London to a Qatari investor in March 2020.

16. John Coates net worth: $4.8 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
John Coates attends a joint press conference between The IOC and Tokyo in 2020. Photo: Du Xiaoyi-Pool
Source: Getty Images

John Coates joined his billionaire sister, Denise, in 2001 to launch Bet365, the world's largest online gambling business. His sister is further down on the list. Fun fact: Coates was appointed joint chairman at Stoke City Football Club in September 2020.

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15. Anthony Bamford & family net worth: $4.9 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Anthony Bamford, the Chairman of JCB, watches the golf during The Rose Ladies Series in 2020. Photo: David Cannon
Source: Getty Images

Anthony Bamford and his family own JCB, a construction equipment manufacturer. JCB sells products in 150 countries. Customers include the US military. Fun fact: His father launched JCB in a garage in England in 1945.

14. Christopher Hohn net worth: $5.0 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Christopher Hohn of The Children's Investment Fund leaves Portcullis House on January 27, 2009, in London. Photo: Peter Macdiarmid
Source: Getty Images

The son of a Jamaican car mechanic, Hohn, founded the London-based hedge fund, the Children's Investment Fund, in 2003. Fun fact: Christopher paid his ex-wife over $500 million in a divorce settlement in 2014.

13. Joe Lewis net worth: $5.2 B

Richest people in UK 2021
Joe Lewis, the owner of Isleworth and Lake Nona, during the second day's play of the Tavistock Cup. Photo: David Cannon
Source: Getty Images

Joe Lewis owns the Tavistock Group, through which he also owns London Premiere League soccer team Tottenham Hotspur and has shares in the pub operator, Mitchell's & Butlers. Fun fact: He left school at 15 to run his father's catering business.

12. Clive Calder net worth: $5.2 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Record executive Clive Calder and Justin Timberlake attend the UJA Federation of New York's 2009 Music Visionary Awards. Photo: Larry Busacca
Source: Getty Images

Clive Calder became a billionaire in 2002 when he sold his music company Zomba Group. The crown jewel of his empire was Jive Records. Fun fact: The South African native Clive Calder frequently travels to parts of Africa for charity.

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11. Laurence Graff & family net worth: $5.5 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Laurence Graff attends a VIP preview of the new site for Annabel's, 46 Berkeley Square, in 2016. Photo: David M. Benett
Source: Getty Images

Laurence Graff founded Graff Diamonds International. It operates at the top of the diamond jewellery market and has more than 50 stores worldwide. Fun fact: He built his kingdom from nothing; he dropped out of school at 14 and scrubbed toilets as a jeweller's apprentice.

10. John Reece net worth: $6.2 B

Formerly a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, John Reece is now the chief financial officer of the chemicals conglomerate Ineos. Fun fact: John Reece lives in Bougy Villars, and he loves yachts!

9. Andrew Currie net worth: $6.2 B

Andrew Currie is a director at Ineos, and he derives most of his fortune from this giant chemical company. Fun fact: He studied at grammar school.

8. Richard Branson net worth: $6.4 B

Richest people in UK 2021
Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire and owner of Virgin. Photo: Cindy Ord, Don Arnold (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Richard Branson built his riches with a group of businesses bearing the 'Virgin' brand name, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Mobile. Fun fact: Branson started with a mail-order record business 50 years ago.

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7. James Dyson net worth: $6.9 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
James Dyson, founder and chairman of Dyson Ltd., speaks during the launch of the Airwrap in 2018. Photo: Michael Nagle
Source: Getty Images

Dyson invented a better version of the vacuum cleaner in 1978, using a cyclone to lift dirt. He also designed the world's first bagless vacuum cleaner. Fun fact: It took five years of testing and 5,127 prototypes to create the bagless vacuum.

6. David and Simon Reuben net worth each: $8.0 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Simon Reuben and David Reuben attend a private view of "Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition" at The Design Museum in 2019. Photo: David M. Benett
Source: Getty Images

Born in Mumbai and raised in the UK, David started trading metals, and Simon imported carpets and bought real estate. They earned their riches in real estate and technology. Fun fact: David sometimes resides in Monaco and Florida. Simon also spends time in Monaco.

5. Michael Platt net worth: $8.0 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Michael Platt, the cofounder of BlueCrest. Photo: GKFXPrime TH, Hao Ny Hao LLC Florida, Instafx Malaysia (modified by author)
Source: Facebook

Michael Platt is the cofounder of BlueCrest Capital Management, the world's largest hedge fund firm. Fun fact: At 14, he invested £500 in a shipping line that soon tripled in price.

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4. Denise Coates net worth: $10.0 B

Richest people in uk net worth
Denise Coates poses with her Commander of the British Empire Medal, which was presented by Prince Charles in 2012. Photo: Sean Dempsey
Source: Getty Images

Who is the richest woman in the UK 2020? Denise Coates is the CEO of Bet365 alongside her brother, John Coates. It is one of the world's largest online gambling companies. Fun fact: At university, she studied econometrics and worked for her father in his betting shops.

3. Ian & Richard Livingstone net worth: $11.3 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
Ian Livingstone and Richard Livingstone. Photo: Fiona Hanson, David M. Benett (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Ian and Richard Livingston are entrepreneurs who own properties throughout London, including ritzy shops, posh hotels, and luxurious apartments. Fun fact: Ian is a former optometrist. Richard was a chartered surveyor.

2. Hinduja brothers net worth: $15.1 B

The top 20 richest people in UK 2021
For decades, the four Hinduja brothers, Srichand, Gopichand, Prakash, and Ashok, have presented a united front to the world. Photo: Owais Khan
Source: Facebook

The four Hinduja brothers own valuable real estate in London. The group's businesses range from lubricants to cable television. Fun fact: One of their homes in London is Carlton House Terrace, located near Buckingham Palace.

1. Sir James Ratcliffe net worth: $18.5 B

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Top 10 richest people in the world
Ineos Founder and Chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe, richest person in UK 2021. Photo: Steven Paston (modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Who is the wealthiest person in the UK? James Ratcliffe is the founder, chairman, and majority owner of chemical powerhouse Ineos Group and is the wealthiest person in the UK. Fun fact: In 2015, he went on a South African motorcycle trip for a month.

We have looked at the top 20 richest people in the UK, but how many billionaires are in the UK in 2021? There are 17 people listed on the 2020 British billionaire list by Bloomberg Billionaires index. Different people define riches differently. However, when it comes to cold hard cash, the world’s richest people come from diverse backgrounds. Some rise to the top from a young age.

READ ALSO: Top 10 richest people in South Africa

Briefly.co.za also reported about the top 10 richest people in South Africa, and it is no doubt the owner of the diamond giant is on the list. But can you guess exactly how much they are worth? The article gives a breakdown of the top 10 wealthiest people. Indeed, the rich have it good in life!

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Nicolette Marais avatar

Nicolette Marais (Lifestyle editor) Nicolette has been a senior managing editor at Briefly.co.za since December 2021. With more than 17 years writing experience in both creative and media-related platforms, she has worked in a wide range of industries and uses this in her writing. In 2023, Nicolette finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and was awarded Manager of the Year. E-mail: lifelineva@outlook.com