The last year has seen a 15% increase in tax paid by the country’s leading taxpayers as total hits £5.7bn, but only two women feature in the top 10 taxpayers.

The top five alone paid £1.38bn, accounting for a quarter of the total tax paid, including personal and business related taxes calculated by The Sunday Times 2026 Tax List based on the latest accounts at Companies House.

Top of the list for the first time were Fred and Peter Done, the owners of Betfred Group Holdings, Peninsula Group and Croner-i, as well as a portfolio of global companies, paying a total tax bill of £400.1m, and moving up from £273m and second position last year. Their tax contribution was up 17% from last year’s Tax List, pushed up by increased employer national insurance bills and a change of reporting year end, which affected the overall tax liability.

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