The United Kingdom's highest taxpayers have been revealed in the latest edition of The Sunday Times Tax List for 2026, featuring prominent Nigerian-born sports stars and international celebrities. The comprehensive ranking showcases the substantial financial contributions made by individuals across various sectors to the UK treasury.
Betfred Founders Lead the Tax Rankings
Topping the prestigious list for the first time are billionaire brothers Fred and Peter Done, the founders of gambling giant Betfred. The Warrington-based entrepreneurs, who established their business in 1967, paid an estimated £400.1 million in taxes over the past year. This represents a significant increase of almost 50% from their previous year's tax bill of £273.4 million, demonstrating their growing financial footprint in the UK economy.
Financial and Business Leaders Feature Prominently
Following closely behind the Done brothers are prominent financial traders and business magnates. Alex Gerko, a financial trading entrepreneur, secured second place with a tax contribution of £331.4 million. Hedge fund manager Chris Rokos ranked third with £330 million in taxes paid, highlighting the substantial contributions from the financial sector to national revenue.
Other notable business figures include billionaire Mike Ashley in ninth position with £175 million in taxes, while entrepreneur Sir James Dyson and Nik Storonsky, co-founder of fintech firm Revolut, also made significant appearances on the list.
Sports and Entertainment Stars Make Their Mark
The 2026 tax list features several high-profile athletes and entertainers, including Nigerian-born British boxer Anthony Joshua. The former heavyweight champion ranked 100th on the list with a tax payment of £11 million, representing the boxing community among the UK's top contributors.
Footballers Enter the Tax Rankings
Two football stars made their debut on the tax list this year, with Manchester City's Erling Haaland appearing in 72nd place with an estimated £16.9 million tax payment. At just 25 years old, Haaland becomes the youngest individual to feature on the prestigious list. Liverpool's Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, often celebrated across Africa including Nigeria, ranked 81st with a tax bill of £14.5 million.
Literary and Musical Contributions
World-renowned author JK Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter series, ranked 36th on the list with a substantial tax payment of £47.5 million. In the music industry, singer Harry Styles made his first appearance on the tax list at 54th position with £24.7 million in taxes, while musician Ed Sheeran ranked 64th with a £19.9 million contribution.
Overall Tax Contributions and Economic Impact
The comprehensive analysis reveals that the top 100 taxpayers collectively contributed £5.758 billion to the UK treasury, representing a significant increase from £4.985 billion in the previous year. This substantial growth in tax revenue coincides with government policy changes, including adjustments to corporation tax rates designed to support increased welfare spending.
Diverse Representation Across Industries
Robert Watts, the compiler of The Sunday Times Tax List, emphasized the growing diversity among the UK's highest taxpayers. "This is an increasingly diverse list, with Premier League footballers and world famous pop stars lining up alongside aristocrats and business owners selling pies, pillows and baby milk," Watts noted. He further explained that "this year there's been a big jump in the amount of tax we've identified - largely because of higher corporation tax rates."
The list also features Wetherspoons founder Sir Tim Martin in eighth position with a personal tax contribution of £199.7 million at age 70, demonstrating that significant tax contributions span across generations and industries.
The publication of this annual list provides valuable insight into the financial landscape of the United Kingdom, highlighting how policy changes directly impact tax contributions from both established business leaders and emerging celebrities across sports and entertainment sectors.
