Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
The Sunday Times Tax List 2026 reveals the nation’s highest individual contributors, including celebrities and athletes paying millions into the Treasury
The United Kingdom’s latest Sunday Times Tax List for 2026 highlights a diverse group of high-earning individuals and families who have contributed substantial sums to the public finances, with global entertainment and sports stars joining traditional business figures at the top of the rankings.
The brothers behind the gambling firm Betfred, Fred and Peter Done, topped the list with an estimated £400.1 million in tax contributions, while a slew of celebrities and professional athletes featured prominently among the 100 highest taxpayers, each paying at least £11 million over the past year.
Among the notable names on the list are singer-songwriter Harry Styles and heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, both of whom contributed significant tax bills as a result of their international success.
Styles, who released a new album and announced a world tour, was one of the top celebrity taxpayers, with an estimated £24.7 million paid in taxes, reflecting his earnings from touring, recordings and related ventures.
Joshua, the former unified world heavyweight champion, also appeared on the list with a reported tax contribution of around £11 million, underscoring his commercial value both in the ring and through endorsements.
Premier League football stars were also well represented.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, the youngest individual on the list at 25, was credited with a £16.9 million contribution, while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah paid an estimated £14.5 million.
Other entertainers and business leaders such as J.K. Rowling and Ed Sheeran rounded out the ranks, illustrating the broad range of sectors — from sport to music and literature — that contribute to the UK’s public purse.
The total tax paid by the top 100 individuals and families reached £5.758 billion over the period, up from £4.985 billion in the previous year, buoyed in part by higher corporate tax rates and robust earnings from entertainment and sport.
While the list includes towering figures in business and investment, the prominence of cultural and sporting icons reflects the global reach and financial impact of Britain’s creative and athletic industries on public finances.
The brothers behind the gambling firm Betfred, Fred and Peter Done, topped the list with an estimated £400.1 million in tax contributions, while a slew of celebrities and professional athletes featured prominently among the 100 highest taxpayers, each paying at least £11 million over the past year.
Among the notable names on the list are singer-songwriter Harry Styles and heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua, both of whom contributed significant tax bills as a result of their international success.
Styles, who released a new album and announced a world tour, was one of the top celebrity taxpayers, with an estimated £24.7 million paid in taxes, reflecting his earnings from touring, recordings and related ventures.
Joshua, the former unified world heavyweight champion, also appeared on the list with a reported tax contribution of around £11 million, underscoring his commercial value both in the ring and through endorsements.
Premier League football stars were also well represented.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, the youngest individual on the list at 25, was credited with a £16.9 million contribution, while Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah paid an estimated £14.5 million.
Other entertainers and business leaders such as J.K. Rowling and Ed Sheeran rounded out the ranks, illustrating the broad range of sectors — from sport to music and literature — that contribute to the UK’s public purse.
The total tax paid by the top 100 individuals and families reached £5.758 billion over the period, up from £4.985 billion in the previous year, buoyed in part by higher corporate tax rates and robust earnings from entertainment and sport.
While the list includes towering figures in business and investment, the prominence of cultural and sporting icons reflects the global reach and financial impact of Britain’s creative and athletic industries on public finances.
