The founder and joint chief executive of gambling giant Bet365 was the UK's biggest taxpayer by far last year, followed by billionaire banker Chris Rokos, according to the latest Sunday Times Tax List.

Denise Coates, 54, who paid herself £421m in 2020 has built up an estimated £8.4bn wealth from Bet365 which places her as the 17th richest person in the country.

Her family paid an estimated £481.7m in tax last year, topping the annual ranking of billionaires' tax payments again this year. 

Her pay since 2016 totals almost £1.3bn.

The Sunday Times said in its 30 January detailed report on the rise of Bet365 that while many gambling firms have moved offshore, keeping the business in Stoke on Trent won Coates some surprising cheerleaders.

Former Labour MP Tristram Hunt, who represented Stoke until 2017, once said there is "enormous pride in the Coates family because they're not in Guernsey or Nevada, they're in North Staffordshire".

Robert Watts, compiler of the list, said: "This is a stronger Tax List than last year's - which will be good news for the chancellor. The total take is up by more than £500m."

However, the IPPR thinktank, which is campaigning for a wealth tax, said the list provides "an insight into the UK's broken tax system" which allows "the richest people in the country to pay little to no tax at all".

"Only one name from the top 10 of last year's [Sunday Times] Rich List appear among those thought to be the top 10 taxpayers," George Dibb, head of the IPPR's centre for economic justice, said. "Our tax system, which supports the NHS and welfare safety net, should ensure that those with the broadest shoulders bear the biggest burden. But today it's just too easy for some of the richest people in the country to pay little to no tax at all."

Stephen Rubin, 84, whose family co-own JD Sports Berghaus and Kickers, paid £256m.

Behind him, the Weston family, which owns Fortnum & Masons and recently sold Selfridges for £4bn, paid £175.4m.

The most notable of the 10 new entries in this year's list is Alan Sugar (6th, £163.4m tax bill), largely made up of a £148.6m dividend tax from his Amshold Ltd property business.

In the finance world, three further names appear in the top ten list, namely Chris Hohn (8th, £126.1m) and Leonie Schroder (9th, £121.2m) and Alex Gerko (10th, £117.4m).

The total tax paid by the top 50 taxpayers rose by £510m to £3.7bn up from £3.2bn the previous year.

The minimum amount of tax paid needed to make the top 50 rose to £15.2m, up 16% on the previous year.