Established middle class[edit]

Members of the established middle class, about 25% of British society, reported high economic capital, high status of mean social contacts, and both high highbrow and high emerging cultural capital. Well-represented occupations included electrical engineers, occupational therapists, midwives, environmental professionals, police officers, quality assurance and regulatory professionals, town planning officials, and special needs teaching professionals.^[26]

Technical middle class[edit]

The technical middle class, about 6% of British society, shows high economic capital, very high status of social contacts, but relatively few contacts reported, and moderate cultural capital. Occupations represented include medical radiographers, aircraft pilots, pharmacists, natural and social science professionals and physical scientists, and business, research, and administrativepositions.^[27]

New affluent workers[edit]

New affluent workers, about 15% of British society, show moderately good economic capital, relatively poor status of social contacts, though highly varied, and moderate highbrow but good emerging cultural capital. Occupations include electricians and electrical fitters; postal workers; retail cashiers and checkout operatives; plumbers and heating and ventilation engineers; sales and retail assistants; housing officers; kitchen and catering assistants; quality assurance technicians.^[27]

Traditional working class[edit]

The traditional working class, about 14% of British society, shows relatively poor economic capital, but some housing assets, few social contacts, and low highbrow and emerging cultural capital. Typical occupations include medical secretaries; legal secretaries; electrical and electronics technicians; care workers; cleaners; van drivers; electricians; residential, day, and domiciliary care^[27]

Emergent service sector[edit]

The emergent service sector, about 19% of British society, shows relatively poor economic capital, but reasonable household income, moderate social contacts, high emerging (but low highbrow) cultural capital. Typical occupations include bar staff, chefs, nursing auxiliaries and assistants, assemblers and routine operatives, care workers, elementary storage occupations, customer service occupations, musicians.^[27]

Precariat[edit]

The precariat, about 15% of British society, shows poor economic capital, and the lowest scores on every other criterion. Typical occupations include cleaners, van drivers, care workers,carpenters and joiners, caretakers, leisure and travel service occupations, shopkeepers and proprietors, and retail cashiers.^[28]

28. What do you know about the wealthy in Great Britain?

Sunday Times Rich List top 20: (fortunes include family wealth)

2013 rank (2012 rank)/ name/ source of wealth/ 2013 wealth (2012 wealth)

1. (2) Alisher Usmanov, mining and investment, £13,300m (£12,315m)

2. (5) Len Blavatnik, investment, music and media, £11,000m (£7,580m)

3. (4) Sri and Gopi Hinduja, industry and finance, £10,600m (£8,600m)

4. (1) Lakshmi Mittal and family, steel, £10,000m (£12,700m)

5. (3) Roman Abramovich, oil and industry, £9,300m (£9,500m)

6. (9), John Fredriksen and family, shipping and oil services, £8,800m (£6,600m)

7. (8) David and Simon Reuben, property and internet, £8,281m (£7,083m)

8. (7) The Duke of Westminster, property, £7,800m (£7,350m)

9. (6) Ernesto and Kirsty Bertarelli, pharmaceuticals, £7,400m (£7,400m)

10. (11) Charlene and Michel de Carvalho, inheritance, brewing and banking, £7,000m (£5,490m)

11. (10) Galen and George Weston and family, retailing, £6,650m (£5,900m)

12. (15) Kirsten and Jorn Rausing, inheritance and investment, £5,109m (£3,900m)

13.(12) Hans Rausing and family, packaging, ££4,720m (£4,300m)

14.(13) Joseph Lau, property, £4,600m (£4,140m)

15, (new) Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber and family, hotels, food and industry, £4,515m

16, (17=) Sir Philip and Lady Green, retailing, £3,880m (£3,300m)

17. (14) Nicky Oppenheimer, diamonds and mining, £3,785m (£4,050m)

18. (19) Earl Cadogan and family, property, £3,675m (£3,225m)

19. (16) Sir Richard Branson and family, transport and finance and fitness clubs, £3,514m (£3,410m)

20. (21) Joe Lewis, foreign exchange and investment, £3,200m (£3,000m)

28. What can you say about the English middle class?