The billionaire Hinduja family has once again retained its position as UK’s richest family for the fifth consecutive year, according to the 2026 Sunday Times Rich List, released on Friday.
The family’s wealth was estimated at £38 billion, up from £35.3 billion last year, regardless of all global economic pressures and the death of family patriarch Gopichand Hinduja in November 2025. Following his death at age 85, the top spot on the list has now passed to his London-based sons, Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja.
The Hinduja Group operates across 38 countries with businesses spanning mobility, banking and financial services, digital technology, media, healthcare, energy, lubricants, specialty chemicals, real estate and trading. “Sanjay, 62 this month, chairs Gulf Oil International while Dheeraj, 54, oversees the automotive giant Ashok Leyland. The latter has had a strong year, with the share price soaring by almost 40 per cent as more Indian motorists transition to electric vehicles,” the newspaper said.
The report also explained gains for IndusInd Bank over the past year. “Indusind, the Mumbai-based banking and financial services group, has also had a decent 12 months. The shares here are up 14 per cent since last year,” it stated.
Billionaire count rises again
The annual list showed that the number of billionaires in Britain rose slightly to 157 this year from 156 in 2025, reversing a recent decline. Businessman and investor Christopher Harborne emerged as one of the biggest new entrants, debuting in sixth place with an estimated fortune of £18.2 billion. Harborne has recently made headlines for record political donations to Reform UK.
After the Hindujas, property and technology investors David and Simon Reuben and their family ranked second with a fortune of £27.971 billion, followed by investor Sir Leonard Blavatnik at £26.852 billion. Shipping and energy magnate Idan Ofer took fourth place with £24.481 billion however the Weston family, known for retail and food businesses, rounded out the top five with £18.939 billion.
The rest of the top 20 featured fintech billionaire Nik Storonsky, trader Alex Gerko, chemicals businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe, gaming entrepreneurs Igor and Dmitry Bukhman, packaging heiress Kirsten Rausing and businessman Jorn Rausing, hedge fund manager Michael Platt, vacuum cleaner inventor Sir James Dyson and family, JCB chairman Lord Bamford and family, Heineken heiress Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Michel de Carvalho, the Swire family, Bet365 owners Denise, John and Peter Coates, the Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family, businessman Moshe Kantor, and members of the Rausing family.
Beckham becomes Britain’s first billionaire sportsman
According to the list, Sir David Beckham has become Britain’s first billionaire sportsman after he and wife Lady Victoria Beckham nearly doubled their fortune in the past year. Their combined wealth is now estimated at £1.185 billion, up sharply from £500 million in 2025.
The jump in wealth has been linked to Beckham’s growing investments in the United States. The arrival of football star Lionel Messi at Inter Miami until 2028 significantly boosted the value of Beckham’s stake in the club, while a large property development near the team’s stadium also added to the family’s fortune.
Meanwhile, Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher entered the Rich List for the first time following the massive commercial success of their reunion tour last year. The brothers are now estimated to be worth a combined £375 million after performing 41 sold-out shows between July and November.