A 10th of the British population are classed as "rich" - but do not feel it.

Some 2.5 million households earn 88,000 pounds (US$175,000) - almost triple the average household income of 33,000 pounds- take two foreign holidays a year and have more than 20,000 pounds worth of disposable annual income, insurer Hiscox says.

However, 90 percent of them do not consider themselves at all wealthy, according to a survey of 1,000 "AB" professionals.

They say they would need to earn around 150,000 pounds per household, have paid off their mortgage, own more than one property or a holiday home and send their children to private school before thinking themselves "well off".

Unlike the "yuppies" of the 1980s and 90s, the working wealthy of today are unlikely to flaunt their assets, according to the survey.

To these credit-crunch-conscious professionals, feeling rich in Britain is about having financial security, rather than having luxury items, such as a Ferrari or swimming pool.

They do, however, lead a comfortable lifestyle.

Four in 10 go on more than one foreign holiday a year, almost a third own a luxury home entertainment system, almost a quarter have savings of more than 25,000 pounds, 15 percent own a piece of art work, and 14 percent own more than one property.

Steve Langan, UK managing director at Hiscox, said: "In the age of the 'uber-rich' celebrity, we might all wish for the bank balance of a David Beckham or Gordon Ramsay, but the fact remains that one in 10 households are earning nearly three times the national average income, so if anyone in that top 10 percent can't accept they are wealthy, they should think again.

"Being wealthy doesn't mean we stop being down to earth or lose touch with the value of things."

(Agencies via China Daily January 30, 2008)??