The Hinduja family has retained the top position on the Sunday Times Rich List for 2026 under the leadership of the next generation, with London-based brothers Sanjay and Dheeraj Hinduja and their family estimated to be worth £38 billion. This marks the fifth consecutive year the family has topped the list, with their wealth rising despite global economic headwinds.
The change in visible leadership follows the death last November of Gopichand “Gopi” Hinduja, aged 85. Sanjay Hinduja, who turns 62 this month, chairs Gulf Oil International, while his younger brother Dheeraj, 54, manages the group’s interests in Ashok Leyland. Ashok Leyland has enjoyed a particularly strong year, with its share price climbing by almost 40% as more drivers in India shift toward electric vehicles. The family’s holdings also benefited from a solid performance at IndusInd, whose shares are reported to be about 14% higher than a year ago.
The Hinduja Group operates across 38 countries and spans a wide range of industries, including mobility, digital technology, banking and financial services, media, project development, lubricants and specialty chemicals, energy, real estate, trading and healthcare.
Following the Hinduja family, India-born brothers David and Simon Reuben remain in second place with an estimated £27.97 billion. The Reubens are nearing completion of two major London redevelopment projects—Admiralty Arch and Cambridge House—which are being converted into luxury hotels.
Other notable movements on the list include textiles entrepreneur Prakash Lohia rising to 28th place with about £6.44 billion, while Vedanta founder Anil Agarwal fell to 43rd from 25th, with an estimated £3.85 billion.
The 38th edition of the annual ranking shows the UK’s 350 wealthiest individuals and families now share a combined fortune of £784 billion, up 1.4% from the previous year. However, the threshold to make the list has fallen by £10 million to £340 million, a sign of a sluggish global economic environment. At least 15 people who featured on last year’s list no longer appear, including steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, after changes in residency following the UK’s tax reforms.
