According to figures released by the government's Office for National Statistics, the total net worth of the UK including financial assets at the end of 2005 was £6,012 billion. This is an increase of £119 billion on the previous year.
Detailed figures of the country's wealth show that the most valuable asset continues to be housing with a total value of £3,575 billion. This is up 4 per cent on the previous year and is equivalent to 59 per cent of the nation's wealth. The value of housing stock belonging to the household and non-profit organisations sector was worth £3,356 billion.
Total UK depreciation (capital consumption) of all assets in 2005 is estimated at £131 billion, with depreciation of plant and machinery accounting for nearly a third of this figure. The value of plant and machinery in use (net capital stock) has increased by 6 per cent in the past five years, indicating that investment is greater than depreciation.
The total cost of replacing all capital assets in their current condition is estimated to be £2,670 billion, at current prices.
At 2003 prices, the total net capital stock of the UK has increased from £551 billion in 1948 to £2,547 billion in 2005.
