North West Rich List: Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Wealth Falls, Gallaghers Soar

The latest Sunday Times Rich List reveals that Sir Jim Ratcliffe remains the wealthiest individual in the North West, despite a significant decline in his net worth. The INEOS CEO and Manchester United owner saw his estimated wealth fall by £1.8bn to £15.19bn, down from £17.05bn the previous year. Compilers attribute this drop to rising debt and falling revenues at his petrochemicals group Ineos, which posted a £515.7m loss. His 29% stake in Manchester United is valued at £1.4bn.

Home Bargains Family Sees Wealth Surge

The Morris family, founders of the Home Bargains retail chain, climbed to third place in the regional ranking with an estimated wealth of £8.06bn, up from £6.99bn last year. The growth is driven by parent company TJ Morris and its sister firm Davos Property Developments, which is involved in major projects in Liverpool, including the £1bn Kings scheme on the waterfront, set to feature the city's tallest tower.

The Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family retained second place with £9.68bn, a slight decrease from £9.89bn.

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National 40 Under 40 List Highlights

The Sunday Times also published a national 40 Under 40 list, featuring sportswear entrepreneurs Tom and Phil Beahon of Castore in joint 15th place with a combined wealth of £350m. Pop star and Co-op Live investor Harry Styles ranked 23rd with £235m. Other North West representatives include Adanola founder Hyrum Cook and Represent co-founders George and Mike Heaton.

National Rankings and Trends

Nationally, the Hinduja family topped the UK list with £38bn, up from £35.3bn. The Rich List includes 157 UK billionaires, 20 fewer than four years ago. The minimum entry level fell to £340m, described as “another indicator of a subdued year”.

New entries include Oasis brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, with an estimated £375m fortune, boosted by their record-breaking 2025 tour that generated nearly £400m in ticket sales.

Compiler Comments

Robert Watts, compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List, noted: “This year’s Rich List is a tale of two exoduses. One in six of the individuals and families on the list two years ago no longer feature. Many foreign billionaires have moved away, and there has been a sharp rise in British nationals now resident in Dubai, Switzerland and Monaco.” He highlighted challenges for the UK economy and public finances, questioning whether wealth creators will now grow their ventures overseas and how much tax the Treasury can collect from those who have left.

Watts added: “For nearly 40 years the Sunday Times Rich List has analysed the fortunes of Britain’s most affluent people. We believe understanding where wealth lies and where it is being accumulated is a vital part of a functioning democracy.”