The six people who paid the most tax in Wales over the past year

Four business tycoons from Wales made the list of the wealthiest people in the UK

The UK’s biggest tax-payers has been been revealed. Amongst this year’s Sunday Times Tax List are four business tycoons operating in Wales that pay a total of £149.8million in tax.

The list, which breaks down the top 100 contributors paid to the treasury over the last year, includes multiple business owners, singers and athletes. Businesses owners, founders and CEO’s have managed to make the list from Wales, with the bosses of one supermarket featuring both first and second place.

A number of new entries have made the UK list that has been published for the last eight years including singer Harry Styles is number 54, paying £24.7m.

Also appearing for the first time are two footballers, Manchester City striker Erling Haaland at number 72, who earns £500,000 a week plus £10m in extras, with an estimated tax payment of £16.9m, and Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah at number 81, whose £400,000-a-week basic salary plus an estimated £10m in bonuses and additional payments results in a tax bill of £14.5m.

In total £5.758bn was paid by the people on the list which is an increase from £4.985bn a year ago.

Sir Malcolm Walker and Lord Walker of Broxton and family

The richest people in Wales and the 28th richest people in the UK are Iceland founder, Sir Malcolm Walker and his son who is the executive chair of his father’s company, Lord Richard Walker of Broxton along with his family. Together they pay a total of £56.5m in taxes.

Sir Malcolm founded the supermarket chain in 1970 as a side business alongside his job working at Woolworths. The founder was fired for having his own company which was the starting point of Iceland becoming the giant it is today.

He was then fired from his role in 2001 but returned to the role of chief executive officer of Iceland in 2005. Growing up in Yorkshire, the supermarket boss now lives in Flintshire.

Lord Richard Walker of Broxton, 45, joined the company in 2012 as a shelf-stacker and cashier working his way up the ladder to becoming becoming executive chairman in January 2023. He is also an ambassador for the Wildlife Trusts and Alzheimer’s Research UK, patron of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, a Vice-President of Fauna & Flora International and a World Economic Forum young global leader.

Tarsem Dhaliwal

The person who pays the second highest amount of taxes in Wales is also a Iceland boss, Tarsem Dhaliwal. In 2018 Dhaliwal was appointed as the Group CEO of Iceland after working for the company since 1985. His role with the company has made him the 32nd most wealthy person in the UK paying £53.5m in tax.

Indian-born Dhaliwal joined Iceland as a trainee accountant over 40 years ago, intent on “buggering off” once he’d qualified but now leads the company.

The 62-year-old left Iceland in 2001 and rejoined in 2005 with Sir Malcolm.

Henry Engelhardt and Diane Brière de l’Isle

Chicago-born Henry Engelhardt’s moved to Cardiff in the 1990s setting up the well-known insurance firm Admiral in 1993. He and his philanthropist wife, Diane Brière de l’Isle are the third wealthiest people in Wales and 51st in the UK paying £25.6m in tax.

Engelhardt worked at the company for over 20 years and eventually stepped back in 2016. Since the role of CEO at Admiral, the couple have dedicated their time to supporting charity initiatives and set up their own charity in 2010.

Mr Engelhardt and Ms Briere de l’Isle set up the Moondance Foundation, that aims to “prevent or relieve poverty, support the welfare and well-being of women, children, the older people and the vulnerable in our society, improve health outcomes, raise educational standards and preserve our environment for future generations.”

Dai and Richard Walters

Fourth and last on the list of individuals that pay the most tax in Wales is father and son, Dai and Richard Walters. The Walters pay £14.3m in taxes and are the 82nd most wealthiest people in the UK.

Dai Walters set up his own construction site, Walters Group, in 1982 that delivers infrastructure, renewable energy and residential development in Wales and the South West. In 2009 the company opened its flagship racecourse at Ffos Las in Carmarthenshire stemming from his love of racing.

In 2022 the racecourse founder was in a helicopter crash near Ruthin but was able to escape with his life and some injuries. Read his extraordinary story here.

Richard Walters is co-owner of the Walters Group and a former owner off Caerphilly-based company Celtic Energy.