Becoming part of the top 1% is much more than simply earning a hefty salary. You need to invest wisely, embed good financial habits into your life, and diversify your income sources. Having a little bit of luck never hurts either!

Many of the UK’s high earners supplement their salaries with partnership and dividend income, which is taxed more favourably than wages. As a result, their overall net income is much higher than it might appear at first glance.

These people also tend to live in the south of England, particularly London and South East England. Most are men (90%), and a quarter are over 45. A third are company directors (as reported to HMRC), and 30% work in finance, with the rest working in general business or law. Learn more

Roth IRA UK Equivalent: Best Retirement Investment Options

The UK’s highest earners are fairly pessimistic about the country’s future, and quite optimistic about their own. But even though they’re aware that climate change and inequality are massive issues, many of them feel that it’s largely something that happens to other people, not themselves. They are also confident that their own savings, along with the help of a good financial adviser and some careful investing, will see them through any crisis they might face in the future. That’s not to say that they don’t care about the wider UK. But they seem to understand that there’s a limit on how much they can contribute to public services through their own contribution.