Britain's average worker would need 52 years of saving to join the top 10% wealth tier

Research from the Resolution Foundation shows a typical full-time employee in Britain would have to save for 52 years, without paying any bills, to accumulate £1.3 million and reach the richest 10% of households.

A study released by the Resolution Foundation in October 2025 calculates that a British full-time worker would need to set aside every pound earned for 52 years to amass £1.3 million, the amount required to move into the top decile of wealth holders. The analysis, led by senior economist Molly Broome, highlights that this scenario assumes no living expenses are paid, underscoring the scale of the challenge. The report attributes the growing inequality primarily to passive income streams such as property ownership and investment returns that have surged since 2010.

It also points out that wealth mobility remains low, with affluent families tending to retain their status across generations. Parallel research on the United States shows even longer horizons, with an estimated 70 years of uninterrupted saving needed to reach a $4.4 million benchmark for the traditional American Dream. These findings come amid rising inflation, a strained job market and concerns about automation's impact on future earnings.