The high earners – time for a change?
- rpwills
- Jun 11
- 2 min read
Recent research from the High Pay Centre outlines the gross inequalities in earnings between those at the top and the average worker.
“Median CEO pay stood at £5.2 million and average at £6.2 million
Median CEO pay increased 15% and average 19.75% from the year before for the same group of companies
The median employee pay increase was 4.85%, while the average returned 6.23%
The median CEO to 25th percentile employee ratio was 127:1, while the average was 144:1
The median CEO to median employee ratio was 95:1, while the average was 108:1”
[High Pay Centre].
Some top earners obtain additional income from bonuses. Bankers are a good example. “Goldman Sachs, for example, is now reportedly able to pay bonuses equivalent to 25x salaries. At the same time, London banks are free to pay a higher proportion of bonuses for senior people in cash.
… HSBC recently revealed a total bonus pool of $3.93 billion (£3.1 billion), its largest in 14 years and up 10 per cent on the previous year.” [Strutt, 2026].
So what happens to all the additional income? “Investment bankers commonly use bonuses as deposits for new homes — often in high-value markets like central London and prime property postcodes. Upsizing or relocation purchases…..Anecdotal evidence suggests significant spending on luxury watches, bespoke tailoring, cars, and second homes.” [Strutt, 2026].
It has been suggested that high earners have also bought farms, despite having no farming experience, but regarding such purchases as financial investments.
Conclusion
Those at the top of the income scale have the resources to purchase additional assets with the added potential to generate extra income. High earners therefore lead to greater inequalities in society.
High Pay Centre, (14th May 2026).
Strutt, A, (Feb 16th 2026), Trinity Financial Group. https://www.trinityfinancialgroup.co.uk/mortgage-tools/mortgage-news/banker-bonus-mortgages/
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