He is the richest Scouser to have ever lived
07:03, 15 May 2026Updated 09:25, 15 May 2026
From left, Joe Morris of Home Bargains, Francis O’Brien of Arrowcroft, Tom Morris of Home Bargains and Christopher Fox of Arrowcroft, pictured in 2001(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
The Sunday Times Rich List for 2026 was published today, with Home Bargains billionaire Tom Morris ranking among the highest-placed figures in the Northwest category. The 72-year-old entrepreneur sits third on the list, behind Manchester United part-owner and INEOS CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe, whose estimated fortune stands at £15bn, while the Duke of Westminster and the Grosvenor family occupy second place with £9.67bn.
Liverpool’s richest man is also the first person on the Northwest list to record an increase in wealth since the previous edition was published.
Ranked third overall, Tom Morris has seen his fortune grow by more than £1bn over the past year, taking his estimated wealth to £8.06bn.
The discount Home Bargains chain that has given the Morris family their wealth began with one store – then called Home and Bargain – which opened in Old Swan in 1976. It was established by a then-21-year-old Tom, the son of a Scotland Road shopkeeper.
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
The first store started with takings of less than £100 per week but the brand, which changed its name to Home Bargains in 1995, has grown into a retail empire with more than 500 shops across the UK.
As his Gillmoss-based company has grown, Mr Morris has become the richest Liverpudlian to have ever lived, a title he has won for numerous years now.
The ECHO previously reported how The Morris family, led by founder Tom paid £209.1 million in tax last year, placing them seventh in The Sunday Times Tax List 2026.
TJ Morris Ltd, which is the parent company of Home Bargains, is teaming up with the builder of the Beetham Tower to construct a high rise development on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre, and the company was instrumental in saving Zoe’s Place with a £2.5m donation.
It has been reported that the increase in wealth from last year has been down to aggressive store expansion, record-high profits, and strategic investments in automation.
Home Bargains, Speke(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)
Unlike many of the people on the rich list, however, Mr Morris has always shunned the limelight. It is his brother Joe Morris who is usually found speaking in public on the Home Bargains founder’s behalf.
Of his brother, Joe once said: “(He) has a real sense of smell for the retail business. He knows what is going on.
“The key is good buying. He has an incredible reputation for it. If you get the buying right you can make money even if the stores are not perfect. You can have perfect stores but if you don’t have the product you will fail.”
It is hard to come by more information about Mr Morris. The one photo of him that the Liverpool ECHO has on file is the grainy 2001 picture included in this article. Second from right, he is pictured with his brother Joe (left) and two representatives from a company called Arrowcroft.
According to a 2001 Liverpool Daily Post article, Mr Morris worked 12 hour days and his other main business interest was the 60 Hope Street restaurant in Liverpool city centre, but this closed in 2020.
Joe Morris, brother of Home Bargains founder Tom Morris
The article added: “Business remains very much a family affair. As well as the three brothers, all now in their forties, there is another who has provided consultancy services while a sister has provided goods and services.”
This year’s Sunday Times Rich List features 350 individuals and families whose combined wealth totals £783.5 billion—more than the annual GDP of Belgium, Sweden, and Israel. Together, their fortunes represent roughly a quarter of the UK’s total annual economic output.
Among those featured in the annual ranking are Sir Elton John, Lord Lloyd-Webber, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, JK Rowling, Charlotte Tilbury, and Sir Lewis Hamilton. The minimum threshold for inclusion has fallen to £340 million, described as another “indicator of a subdued year.”
Robert Watts, compiler of The Sunday Times Rich List, said: “This year’s Rich List is a tale of two exoduses. One in six of the individuals and families who appeared on the list just two years ago no longer feature.
“Many foreign billionaires who had been living in the UK have dropped out after relocating abroad. At the same time, we have seen a sharp rise in the number of British nationals now residing in Dubai, Switzerland, and Monaco. As UK citizens, these individuals remain on our Rich List – wherever they now live.
F1 star, Sir Lewis Hamilton
“These twin departures pose significant questions for the UK economy and public finances. Will more wealthy individuals choose to establish or expand their businesses overseas, creating fewer jobs here? And how much tax, if any, will Rachel Reeves’s Treasury be able to collect from affluent Britons who have now left the country?
“For nearly 40 years, The Sunday Times Rich List has tracked the fortunes of Britain’s wealthiest people. We believe understanding where wealth lies. and how it is being created, is an essential part of a functioning democracy.
“Over the years, our research has revealed much about the changing nature of wealth in Britain, charting how a generation of largely self-made entrepreneurs has overtaken the inherited fortunes of the landed gentry.
“This year’s edition shines a spotlight on fortunes built from artificial intelligence, driverless cars, and cryptocurrencies, as well as baby formula, beauty products, hoodies, and other everyday essentials. Many of our readers find these rags-to-riches stories – of entrepreneurs who began with little more than a laptop and an idea – especially inspiring.”