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Britain's so-called “immigrant hotel tycoon” has made it onto Britain's rich list for the first time, in a year that saw the number of billionaires fall but the vast fortunes of the prime minister and monarch rise, new data has revealed.
Refugee relief tycoon Graham King is receiving £3.5 million a day of taxpayer money for his role in helping transport and house vulnerable migrants during the ongoing crisis, making him the 221st richest person in the UK.
He is estimated to have made a fortune of £750 million from “holiday parks, inheritances and housing refugees for the government”.
King's contract with the Home Office runs until 2029 and rising immigration to the UK is expected to make him its first billionaire.
Speaking of monarchs, King Charles' fortune also increased by £10 million last year to £610 million, according to The Sunday Times Rich List.
The personal wealth of Chancellor Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murthy also increased by £150 million to £651 million.
Britain's richest gypsy, Alfie Best, has seen his fortune grow even more after he built a caravan park in the face of Britain's housing crisis.
His net worth has increased by £202 million to £947 million, making him now almost a billionaire.
But despite his enormous wealth, Best chose to leave the UK last month to avoid tax issues.
He criticised Mr Sunak's resignation, acknowledging that the Conservative chancellor would have had his own economic interests at heart. “I thought Rishi Sunak would be like a second Jesus for our country, someone who would encourage wealth creators,” he said. “Here was someone who understood business and married into a wealthy family. I was sorely mistaken.”
Best has now moved to Monaco, awaiting admission to the so-called billionaire's playground where residents enjoy tax-free living.
Among the celebrities on the list were the Beckhams, with new data revealing their fortune has increased by £30 million to £455 million.
It has been updated The Sunday Times However, the list also revealed that the number of UK billionaires is set to fall slightly, from 177 in 2022 to 165 in 2024.
The list includes the 350 richest people in the UK.
Other soon-to-be billionaires include author J.K. Rowling, who once lost her billionaire status after donating much of her fortune to charity.
According to the 2024 Rich List, her current net worth is £945 million, an increase of £70 million in the past year.
Meanwhile, Paul McCartney has become Britain's first billionaire musician, with his net worth increasing to £1 billion from £865 million in 2022, according to the list.
His wealth is also thanks to his 2023 Got Back Tour and Beyoncé's cover version of “Blackbird” from The Beatles' White Album.
Currently, the richest person in the UK is businessman Gopi Hinduja, whose fortune is worth a staggering £37.2 billion – the biggest of any on this list.
He added another £2 billion to his wealth, taking the top spot.
Another notable fortune is that of Leonard Blavatnik, the investor who owns a majority stake in Warner Music, whose fortune is thought to be worth £29.25 billion.
The figure was previously £28.63 billion but increased due to a 20 percent rise in the music group's shares.
