Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) was 12.9% in 2021. ▲ Rising
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 1982–2021
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland recorded 12.9% for income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in 2021.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.7% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 14.7% in 2007 and was at its lowest, 6.9%, in 1983.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 71st of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 38 years of available data.
Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 6.9% | — |
| 1983 | 6.9% | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 7.2% | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 7.3% | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 7.4% | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 7.7% | +3.0% |
| 1988 | 8.3% | +8.5% |
| 1989 | 8.3% | +0.2% |
| 1990 | 9.1% | +9.4% |
| 1991 | 9.5% | +4.8% |
| 1992 | 9.2% | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 9.7% | +5.2% |
| 1994 | 10.0% | +2.5% |
| 1995 | 10.1% | +1.6% |
| 1996 | 11.6% | +14.5% |
| 1997 | 12.1% | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 13.0% | +7.5% |
| 1999 | 12.2% | -6.4% |
| 2000 | 11.7% | -3.5% |
| 2001 | 11.6% | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 12.0% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 13.1% | +9.5% |
| 2004 | 13.0% | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 14.3% | +10.1% |
| 2006 | 14.7% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 14.7% | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 14.1% | -4.2% |
| 2009 | 14.3% | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 12.3% | -13.9% |
| 2011 | 13.2% | +7.2% |
| 2012 | 12.8% | -3.1% |
| 2015 | 12.3% | -3.6% |
| 2016 | 12.5% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 13.4% | +7.7% |
| 2018 | 13.1% | -2.8% |
| 2019 | 12.7% | -2.8% |
| 2020 | 12.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 12.9% | +1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 7.5% | 6.9% | 8.3% | 8 |
| 1990s | 10.6% | 9.1% | 13.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 13.3% | 11.6% | 14.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 12.8% | 12.3% | 13.4% | 8 |
| 2020s | 12.8% | 12.7% | 12.9% | 2 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
More economy & growth data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.14 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.42 Percent per annum (2029)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 9.19 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.731 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per capita 42,106 current US$ per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), annual growth rate 5.99 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.5552 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Services, value added (current LCU), per capita 31,978 current LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.61 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.6127 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Income share of the richest 1% (before tax) in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 12.9% in 2021, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 14.7% in 2007.
- What is the lowest income share of the richest 1% (before tax) recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.9% in 1983.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for income share of the richest 1% (before tax)?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 71st out of 113 countries with data for 2021.
- Is income share of the richest 1% (before tax) rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland data come from?
- The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Income share of the richest 1% (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of income received by the richest 1% of the population. Income here is measured before taxes and benefits.