UK billionaires have seen their fortunes soar by more than a fifth as they shook off the financial toll of the pandemic, according to the latest Sunday Times Rich List.
The list revealed that there are now a record 171 billionaires in the UK, with Ukranian-born Sir Leonard Blavatnik topping the pile as the richest person in the country.
The number of billionaires jumped by 24%, in stark contrast with the wider economic turmoil of the pandemic which saw millions enter furlough and the rate of unemployment lift to its highest in almost five years.
Wealth among billionaires increased by 21.7% over the year, rising by £106.5 billion to £597.2 billion.