IT’S a list that includes entrepreneurs, footballers, landlords, manufacturers… and a successful Stratford family.
The Sunday Times revealed its Top Tax 2026 list at the weekend, which is very similar, for obvious reasons, to its annual Rich List.
What we find out from this list is that rich people pay a lot of tax, with Fred and Peter Done, owners of Betfred, contributing the most - a total of more than £400 million in 12 months.
The data shows a total of £5.758 billion of tax was paid by the top 100 on the list.
Stratford’s entry was for the Rigby family - the Rigby Group has its HQ in town as well as one of its hotels - which, the report says, paid £34.3m in tax.
The Rigby family was estimated to have paid £34.3m in tax.
The family business, which was set up by Sir Peter Rigby and is now run by sons James and Steve - includes computer service, airports and hotels.
They were placed 44th on the overall list and seventh in the Midlands.
Other notable entries include former One Direction star Harry Styles at number 54, paying £24.7m.
Also appearing for the first time were two footballers - Manchester City striker Erling Haaland (72nd), who earns £500,000 a week plus £10m in extras, with an estimated tax payment of £16.9m. The other was Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah (81st), whose £400,000-a-week basic salary plus an estimated £10m in bonuses and additional payments results in a tax bill of £14.5m.
Other famous names on the list included Harry Potter author JK Rowling (36th, £47.5m), musician Ed Sheeran (64th, £19.9m) and boxer Anthony Joshua (100th, £11m).
Robert Watts, who compiled The Sunday Times Tax List, said: “The Sunday Times Tax List features household names as well as some of our economy’s hidden heroes, quietly successful entrepreneurs who have set up companies employing hundreds of people and plugging vast sums into the public finances. 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.
“This year there’s been a big jump in the amount of tax we’ve identified — largely because of higher corporation tax rates. All of the 100 individuals and families who appear delivered at least £11m to the Exchequer over the past year. Fourteen of the entries paid at least £100m.”
For the full list, visit www.thetimes.com/article/tax-list-2026-uk-biggest-taxpayers-nqsjk2bvn