TL;DR: Only 4% of Brits earn £70k+, mostly aged 35-54 and overwhelmingly male. Despite higher income, 30% say they’re just coping. This affluent group trusts celebrity endorsements (26% vs. 14%), stays alert to events (30% vs. 18%), and lets ads steer purchases (47% vs. 32%). They’re highly engaged with ads in public and economic news strongly shapes what they buy.

Recent data from YouGov Profiles provides insights into the demographics and attitudes of British adults who earn more than £70,000 annually. According to the tool, 4% of British adults fall into this income bracket. When broken down by age, 3% of those aged 18-34 earn over £70,000, while this percentage rises to 6% for those aged 35-54. Gender disparities are also evident, with 6% of men earning over £70,000 compared to just 2% of women.

Examining the attitudes of high earners towards their current income, three in 10 Britons say they are merely coping, which is slightly lower than two-fifth of all adults (30% vs. 42%). Additionally, 6% of high earners find it difficult on their present income, compared to 18% of the general population.

High-income earners also display distinct attitudes towards advertising and media. Among those earning over £70,000, 26% trust products recommended by celebrities and influencers, which is notably higher than the 14% of all British adults. Moreover, 30% of high earners are always aware of pop-events near them, compared to 18% of the general population. Advertising plays a significant role in their purchasing decisions, with 47% stating that ads help them choose what to buy, compared to 32% of all British adults.

Social media engagement is also higher among high earners, with 29% frequently commenting on things seen on posters and billboards, versus 16% of the general population. Additionally, 36% of high earners pay attention to ads at events, compared to 22% of all adults. Economic news significantly influences their purchasing decisions, with 67% of high earners following economic news for this purpose, in contrast to 36% of the general population.

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Methodology: YouGov Profiles is based on continuously collected data and rolling surveys, rather than from a single limited questionnaire. Profiles data for Great Britain is nationally representative and weighted by age, gender, education, region, and race.