Anthony Joshua, JK Rowling, and Mo Salah have been recognized as some of the UK’s top 100 taxpayers. The billionaire siblings behind the gambling giant Betfred, Fred and Peter Done, claimed the top spot on The Sunday Times Tax List 2026, surpassing musicians, entrepreneurs, and sports personalities. They paid an estimated £400.1m in taxes over the past year, a significant increase from the previous year’s £273.4m.
In the second spot on the list was financial trading entrepreneur Alex Gerko, who paid £331.4m in taxes, followed by hedge fund manager Chris Rokos with a tax payment of £330m. Among the new entries on the list was musician Harry Styles, ranking 54th with a tax contribution of £24.7m. Meanwhile, billionaire businessman Mike Ashley secured the ninth spot with a tax payment of £175m. Other notable figures on the list included entrepreneur Sir James Dyson and Nik Storonsky, a co-founder of the payments firm Revolut.
Footballers also made their debut on the list, with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland appearing in 72nd place with an estimated tax payment of £16.9m, and Liverpool’s Salah believed to have paid £14.5m, landing in 81st place. Haaland, at 25 years old, became the youngest person on the tax list. JK Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter series, ranked 36th with a tax bill of £47.5m, while musician Ed Sheeran claimed the 64th spot with a tax payment of £19.9m. Boxer Anthony Joshua rounded off the list at 100th place, paying £11m in taxes. Wetherspoons founder Sir Tim Martin, 70, secured the eighth spot with a personal tax contribution of £199.7m.
Overall, the top 100 taxpayers in the UK collectively paid a total of £5.758bn in taxes, showing an increase from the previous year’s £4.985bn. Many individuals on the list, including the Done brothers, paid higher taxes following changes in corporation tax rates and other government measures aimed at supporting increased welfare spending.
Robert Watts, the compiler of the list, noted the diversity of the individuals included, ranging from Premier League footballers and renowned pop stars to aristocrats and business owners. He highlighted the significant increase in tax payments identified this year, largely attributed to the higher corporation tax rates in effect.
Despite some individuals leaving the UK over the past year, reportedly to avoid higher taxes under Labour or due to changes in non-dom status, six taxpayers who departed still appeared on the list. This included Wren Kitchens founder Malcolm Healey and sports promoter Eddie Hearn.
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