Investec Bank, an international financial services provider and banking subsidiary of Investec, has released research showing that non-salary income is expected to account for a greater share of high net worth individuals total earnings in future.

Investec Bank's latest research shows that high net worth individuals expect a greater proportion of their total annual income to come from non-salary sources, such as carry distributions, bonuses, dividends and business sale proceeds.

The findings suggest that the structure of pay among HNW individuals is continuing to evolve, with non-salary income expected to account for a greater share of total earnings in future. Bonuses, carry and one-off payments are increasingly shaping expectations for total income.

Investec Bank commissioned market research company PureProfile to interview 201 HNW individuals in the UK, who on average have an annual income of £810,450 ($1,069, 356) and an average net wealth of £6.4 million. The survey was conducted in February 2026.

In the survey, 85 per cent of respondents said they expect a higher proportion of their total annual income to come from non-salary sources in future, including 64 per cent who expect that proportion to rise slightly and 21 per cent who expect it to rise significantly. Only 15 per cent do not expect the proportion of income from non-salary sources to increase, the survey reveals.

That expectation appears to reflect a trend already in motion, the firm said. Over the past three years, 50 per cent of respondents said the level of income they receive from non-salary sources has increased, including 39 per cent who said it has increased slightly and 11 per cent who said it has increased dramatically. Forty per cent said it has stayed the same, while 10 per cent said it has decreased.

Separately, 89 per cent of respondents said they expect their total annual income to be higher this year than last year. This includes 63 per cent who expect it to be significantly higher and 26 per cent who expect it to be slightly higher. A further 11 per cent expect income to stay about the same, while less than 1 per cent expect it to decrease slightly.

Among those expecting higher total annual income, 63 per cent said this is because they expect a significant increase in income from employment, including a bigger bonus. Meanwhile, 38 per cent said they expect to receive additional variable pay, such as carry or proceeds from the sale of a business. A further 9 per cent expect higher income from their own investments outside work. Respondents were able to select multiple factors they believed would contribute to an increase in their total annual income.

“This shift reflects a more uneven income environment. As a greater share of earnings comes from non-salary sources such as carry, bonuses, dividends and business sale proceeds, income can become less predictable and more dependent on the timing of distributions, exits and other one-off events rather than regular salary cycles,” Emily Cvijan (pictured), private banker, Investec Private Bank, said. “That can make cashflow harder to manage, particularly when people are planning for significant purchases such as a home. That is why it is important to look at the full picture of someone’s earnings, assets and projected cash flows, so they can structure their lending and liquidity around irregular income.”

Investec provides personal banking and financing tailored to the needs of HNW individuals in the UK. Its offering includes private bank accounts, mortgages, savings, and foreign exchange solutions, designed to support clients with day-to-day banking, significant purchases, liquidity planning and more complex financial needs.