The gap between the rich and poor has widened faster in the UK in the last 30 years than in any other OECD economy, a report has found.
Research by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) showed the wealthiest 10% of the population in Britain earns nearly 12 times what the poorest 10% earns - and it is still rising.
This is compared to the United States where the ratio is 14:1, and in Germany it is just 6:1.
The study - Divided We Stand: Why Inequality Keeps Rising - found the annual average income of the top 10% was almost £55,000 in 2008, compared to £4,700 at the other end of the scale.
The figures come as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg promises to clamp down on executive pay to break apart the "old boys network".
He said legislation would be introduced as early as January.
:: New job vacancies in the City fell 16% last month as the number of qualified candidates per job hit a two-year high, according to a leading financial services recruitment firm.
Astbury Martin said 2,670 jobs were created in November - down from 3,160 in October.
The job shortage - and the high number of investment bank staff searching for new roles - means the number of qualified staff for each City vacancy is at its highest level since 2008.
The average number of qualified candidates for each City job has almost tripled to five - up from 1.7 at the start of the year.
:: Air China is set to start flying direct between Beijing and London Gatwick next year.
The flights, which will start on May 2, will be operated on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.
The new services will be on top of the scheduled flights already operated from Heathrow.
:: Complaints of anti-competitive behaviour have hit a record high in the UK - jumping 14% in just 12 months.
The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) received 1,993 complaints of potential breaches to the competition rules in 2010 - up from 1,751 the previous year.
This is a substantial increase from the 975 complaints in 2006.
The most common complaints include allegations of overcharging by suppliers or unfairly low prices charged by dominant competitors seeking to strangle new and innovative competition.
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