There was a time when Indians were unwelcome on Britain’s streets. Shopfronts openly carried signs reading “Indians Not Allowed”, and migrants from the subcontinent were pushed to the margins of society, treated as second-class citizens in the country that once ruled their homeland. Decades later, the United Kingdom is quietly acknowledging a stark reversal; one of the strongest engines driving its economy today is the Indian community.
Findings from the Office for National Statistics and studies by the London School of Economics (LSE) show that people of Indian origin have emerged not just as a high-earning group, but as the fastest wealth-building community in the UK.
In the 1950s and 1960s, when large numbers of Indians arrived in the UK, their
circumstances were vastly different. Many worked in factories, bus depots, hotel kitchens and other low-paid jobs. Economic security was limited, social acceptance even more so, and racism was a routine experience. Yet the community responded with a familiar formula; long hours, disciplined saving and relentless investment in their children’s education.
That approach has yielded tangible results. Recent earnings data shows that Indian households now earn an average of £15.88 per hour, significantly higher than the £12.49 earned by British households. Indians are no longer merely catching up; in earnings terms, they have moved ahead.
According to LSE analysis, the average wealth of Indian households stood at around £113,000 in 2012. By 2021–23, it had risen to nearly £206,000, an increase of approximately £93,000 in a decade, the fastest growth recorded among any ethnic group. Over the same period, the average wealth of British households increased by about £52,000.
What stands out is that this growth has been broad-based. Even lower-income Indian households added an average of £15,000 in wealth, while several other minority groups saw declines. Among higher-income Indians, wealth rose by more than £200,000, underlining a strong capacity not just to earn, but to invest and grow assets.
Home ownership has played a central role. Within the community, owning property is seen as a marker of stability and long-term security. Data shows that 38% of Indians own a home by the age of 26-35, rising to 70% by 36-45 and nearly 80% by 46-55. Overall, around 74% of Indian households in Britain own property, a higher rate than many local communities. Early entry into the housing market meant that rising property prices, particularly after 2016, translated directly into wealth gains.
Education remains the bedrock of this economic rise. Indian families have consistently treated education as an investment rather than an expense, resulting in high rates of university attendance and strong employment outcomes. Dual-income households and multigenerational family structures further strengthen household finances. Today, one in every ten doctors in UK’s National Health Service is of Indian origin, while large numbers work in high-skill sectors such as information technology, banking, engineering and finance.
Until the 1970s, discrimination was overt and widespread. Pubs, shops and workplaces routinely excluded Indians. With limited access to mainstream opportunities, many turned to entrepreneurship. Small grocery shops, newsagents, takeaways, petrol stations and family-run businesses became lifelines, often sustained by 16 to 18-hour workdays, seven days a week. Over time, many of these ventures expanded into major retail chains, hotel groups, real estate portfolios and international trading businesses.
Between 2018 and 2021, only 39% of Indian households accessed any form of state support, compared to 54% of British households and a national average of 51%. Just 8% of Indian households received income-related benefits, half the proportion seen among British families. About 85% of Indian household income comes from employment, compared with 71% among the British, making Indians one of the country’s highest net contributors to the tax system.
Studies show that during middle age, Indian households save between 60% and 63% of their income, with average active savings of around £13,700. Early and consistent saving — often exceeding 10% of income, allows compound growth to work over decades, strengthening long-term financial security.
Today, the community’s influence extends beyond economics. The number of Indian-origin Members of Parliament is steadily rising, increasing representation in national decision-making. Meanwhile, a younger generation is moving beyond traditional professions, building startups and innovating in areas such as fintech, health technology and artificial intelligence.
