The wealthy kids of property-rich U.K. parents get the highest-paying jobs, especially sons—and new research has revealed why

It’s no secret that the children of wealthy families have an upper hand in success—money and connections have historically helped them break into Hollywood, and even the C-suite. Now, new research shows that U.K. parents who reaped the rewards of the country’s housing boom three decades ago set their kids up for success down the line.

Around the turn of the 21st century, the U.K. witnessed a dramatic surge in housing prices: the costs rose from four times peoples’ annual earnings in 1995, to eight times by 2010.