Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin and ex-NUFC owner Mike Ashley among top 100 biggest taxpayers in UK

Mike Ashley
-Credit:PA Archive/PA Images


Tracksuit mogul Mike Ashley and pub magnate Tim Martin have been unveiled as some of Britain's top taxpayers, alongside Ed Sheeran and Harry Potter author JK Rowling. The list of the top 100 also features gambling industry billionaires, remaining members of rock band Queen, and a mix of aristocrats and self-made entrepreneurs.

These individuals hail from diverse sectors, ranging from music and arts to finance and retail. With Chancellor Rachel Reeves grappling with a gaping hole in public finances left by the Tories, the taxes paid by these wealthy individuals are more crucial than ever.

However, this year's Sunday Times Tax List reveals that these 100 affluent individuals or families paid 7% less in taxes last year, although they were still accountable for just under £5 billion in total. This decrease is attributed to some businesses owned by these wealthy individuals performing poorly while the economy was sluggish.

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While the tax contributions of those on the list certainly boosted the Treasury's funds, in many instances, the tax did not come directly from the individuals themselves. It includes taxes paid by their companies, such as corporation tax and employers' national insurance, proportional to their business ownership.

The research, based on publicly available data rather than personal tax returns, reveals that the top spot this year is occupied by elusive hedge fund billionaire Sir Chris Hohn, with a staggering near £340million, a significant increase from his fourth-place £263million in 2023. Betting magnates occupy the subsequent two spots, their rankings boosted by the substantial gambling duties paid by their enterprises, reports the Mirror.

Brothers Fred and Peter Done, along with their families, shelled out £273.4million in taxes, as per the study. They are trailed by Bet365's Denise Coates and her family, who paid £265million.

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It was recently disclosed that Ms Coates, already the highest-paid woman in Britain, pocketed an additional £150million in salary and dividends last year, despite a 45% reduction from the previous year. Sports Direct billionaire Mike Ashley ranks seventh on the list, having paid an estimated £198.2million.

Tim Martin, Chairman of the Wetherspoons pub chain poses for photographs at the Shakespeare's Head in London
Tim Martin, chairman of the Wetherspoons pub, also made the list. -Credit:Facundo Arrizabalaga

The unconventional boss, who founded the business with a single shop in Maidenhead, Berkshire, in 1982, remains the majority owner of the company, now known as Frasers Group. He is succeeded by Tim Martin, founder of JD Wetherspoon, who reportedly owed £170million in taxes, a figure that includes alcohol duties paid by the company.

While many names on the list are familiar, others are not so well-known. For instance, Mark and Lindy O'Hare, who paid an estimated £204million after selling their financial data firm last year and becoming billionaires overnight, or Specsavers' founders Dame Mary and Douglas Perkins, who paid £108million.

JK Rowling's tax contribution surged from £40 million to an estimated £47 million, which has been attributed by list authors to the launch of a Harry Potter theme park in Japan and the lucrative run of her wizarding stage show. On the flip side, Ed Sheeran, the youngest tycoon on this year's roster at 33, paid just shy of £20 million in taxes, padding his own pocket with £27 million last year, much of it thanks to his 'Mathematics' tour's global success.

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Meanwhile, the ageless popularity of Queen's anthems netted the band members—and Freddie Mercury's heirs—a hefty tax bill estimated at £11.8 million.

The geographic spread of economic influence among the UK's wealthiest is notable - London claims 21 of the top 100 taxpayers, another 11 hail from the south-east, while the Midlands contributes 14, the south-west eight, Scotland nine, five from Wales, and three from Northern Ireland.

Robert Watts, who compiles The Sunday Times Tax List, said: "Our research continues to highlight the family-owned businesses and other unheralded heroes each year quietly contributing tens of millions of pounds of tax to fund our schools, hospitals and other public services.

"We often find that it's not the owners of tech firms and other high-profile businesses who contribute the most. This year the Tax List includes entrepreneurs and families behind companies selling pasties, pet food and pillows."

The Sunday Times Tax List, first launched in 2019, reveals that individuals and families linked to the gambling sector have contributed almost £3.7 billion to public finances, topping other industries.