Sunday Times Tax List 2026: See which West Midlands business leaders have the highest tax bill
Gambling, food supplies and IT are the business sectors behind some of the region's highest payers of tax.
The Sunday Times Tax List 2026 is published today and features the entrepreneur owners of Bet365, 2 Sisters and Rigby Group among the annual countdown of the UK's largest supporters of HM Treasury.
The Stoke-based Coates family, owners of Bet365, rank as the Midlands' biggest taxpayers, having handed over £227.1 million during 12 months, placing them in fifth spot in the overall UK list.
Run by Peter Coates and his children Denise and John, the company also paid out £292.7 million of dividends to the family alongside the huge tax bill.Ms Coates herself is Britain's richest self-made woman, awarded a salary of £104.3 million last year.
Bilston-born Ranjit Singh and Baljinder Boparan and family are placed in fourth spot for the Midlands and 24th nationally, with a tax bill of £62.8 million.
The husband and wife team are behind the 2 Sisters group, which is headquartered in Birmingham and has operations across the region, while other business interests include restaurant brands Carluccio's and Gourmet Burger Kitchen.
Sir Peter Rigby and his sons James and Steve run Rigby Group which has a broad range of business interests including technology and hotels.
Among their companies are Birmingham-based managed IT services provider SCC, hotels including Mallory Court in Leamington Spa and Brockencote Hall Hotel in Kidderminster and previously Exeter, Bournemouth and Norwich airports before they were sold last summer.
They paid £34.3 million in tax, placing them seventh in the Midlands and 44th overall.
Among the other West Midlands entrants are Lord Bamford and family, the people behind Staffordshire digger maker JCB, who paid £28.6 million, placing them ninth for the Midlands and 49th overall.
Shropshire-based William Lloyd and family, who run animal feed business Lloyd's, are placed in tenth and 52nd spots, paying £25.2 million in tax.
The firm, which was founded in 1964, is headquartered in Oswestry and operates mills in Darlington, Piercebridge, Wrexham and Langport, supplying feed to sheep, beef, dairy, poultry and pig farmers across the UK.
Nationally, there is plenty of celebrity stardust sprinkled on the list.Singer Harry Styles is in 54th place, paying £24.7 million in tax, while superstar footballers Erling Haaland and Mo Salah also feature in 72nd and 81st spots, having paid £16.9 million and £14.5 million respectively.
All three are making an appearance for the first time in the 2026 list.
Other celebrity listees include Harry Potter author JK Rowling (36th, £47.5 million), musician Ed Sheeran (64th, £19.9 million) and boxer Anthony Joshua (100th, £11 million).
The top three entrants are brothers and Betfred owners Fred and Peter Done (£400.1 million), financial trader Alex Gerko (£331.4 million) and hedge fund manager Chris Rokos (£330 million).
The combined tax bill of the 100 in the list is £5.758 billion, up from £4.985 billion a year ago.
The list's compiler Robert Watts 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."
