Sociologists and academics now insist that the middle-class is not as homogenious as previously postulated. They say that the British--and in particular the English Middle-Class has an upper strata whose incomes and level of educational attainment from Britain's best private schools and elite universities puts them above middle class, yet still not aristocratic upper class either. To give you a brief feel for what I'm saying, Wikipedia explains it this way:
"Upper middle class
The Upper Middle class in Britain consists of the educated professionals and managers who generally come from higher income backgrounds. This stratum, in England, traditionally uses the Received Pronunciation dialect natively. The upper-middle class are traditionally educated at prestigious major public schools--which are actually fee-paying private institutions, such as Eton, Harrow, Winchester for boys and Benenden, Roedean, St. Swithun's, Wycombe Abbey and Cheltenham Ladies' College for girls. Virtually all are educated at Britain's most exclusive universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrew's, UCL, Imperial, LSE, Durham, Bristol, Warwick, Exeter and Liverpool. The majority of these graduates often then go on to a postgraduate course or an MBA. Traditional careers would include university academics, architects, barristers, diplomats, physicians, military officers, clergy, art dealers, senior civil servants, journalists, judges, artists, writers and those working in business and the City of London in high managerial, executive positions. This social class is not easily defined and personal wealth is not a necessary criterion. Family background, connections are important. Understatement, in both behaviour and taste, is a defining characteristic of the British upper middle class. Traditionally this class is associated with certain professions (barristry, medicine, academia, finance, and the officers of the Royal Navy and Army). However, not all members of these professions are from this class and an upper-middle-class individual sometimes may not work in one of the traditional professions. Other distinctive lifestyle features are such things as taking more than one annual holiday travelling abroad. Ski holidays in France or New England in winter, Easter breaks in Barbados, and summers in Ireland, Provence or Tuscany are typical examples. Luxury automobiles such as Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar and Audi are quite common, and most households would own more than two cars. Bespoke tailoring would also be quite common amongst the British upper middle-class. While every major urban conurbanation would have representitives of this group, London and the Home Counties is where this class would be most visable and prominent. Tastefully furnished four-bedroom detached houses in the green-belt areas of leafy suburban Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and the western reaches of Kent are especially well populated by this class. Much like their American counterpart, the British upper middle class can be subdivided in two, distinguishing a socially liberal but fiscally conservative professional subclass, and the more centre-right leaning managerial, executive subclass. The managerial/executive wing of this class tend to live in the outer suburban areas, while the professional wing is often more urban, preferring instead, the stately old terraces and semi-detatched houses on the streets of such south-western London neighbourhoods as Richmond, Kew, East Sheen, Twickenham, St. Margaret's, Teddington, Surbiton, Kingston and Wimbledon. Single and younger members of this class prefer places like Parson's Green in Fulham, Putney, Clapham Common, and Balham. Politically this is also reflected in the professional wing often voting more along Liberal Democrat lines and the managerial, executive set voting almost exclusively Conservative. A minority of upper middle class families may also have ancestry that directly connects them to the upper classes. Armorial bearings in the form of an escutcheon may denote such past status. A lesser status historically directly relevant to the upper-middle class is that of squire or lord of the manor, however, these property rights are no longer prevalent. Another distinguishing feature of this class is a noticeable prevalence of double-barrelled surnames.
Many upper middle class families may also have previous ancestry that often directly relates to the upper classes. Although not necessarily of the landowning classes - as a result, perhaps, of lack of a male heir - many families' titles/styles have not been inherited and therefore many families' past status became dissolved.
Popular modern day examples of the upper middle class include Boris Johnson (current Mayor of London), Ralph Fiennes and Hugh Grant (British Hollywood actors), Matthew Pinsent (British Olympian and TV personality) and Christopher Cazenove."