Motor Trade Pays £130m in Tax: Arnold Clark Family Leads UK's Biggest Car Dealer Contributors

UK Motor Trade Emerges as Major Tax Contributor

The automotive retail sector has proven to be one of Britain's most significant contributors to the public purse, with new data revealing the industry paid almost £130m in tax over the past year. According to the recently published Sunday Times Tax List 2026, car sales businesses contributed a substantial £129.3m to HMRC during the last 12 months.

This significant contribution positions the motor trade as the 13th largest tax-paying industry in the country, accounting for 2.3% of all tax paid. The findings highlight the substantial financial footprint of automotive retail within the UK economy, demonstrating its importance beyond simply vehicle sales and servicing.

Arnold Clark Family Leads Industry Contributions

The motor trade's largest individual tax bill was settled by Lady Philomena Clark and her family, who paid a staggering £81m – an increase from £74.2m the previous year. Lady Clark, the 79-year-old widow of late dealership magnate Sir Arnold Clark, remains the largest shareholder in the Car Dealer Top 100 leading group.

This substantial tax payment follows the dealer group's impressive financial performance, having posted profits of £380m in 2024 – more than its two nearest competitors combined. As a result of this success, Lady Clark ranked as the 19th highest taxpayer in the entire country.

Other Major Contributors from Automotive Sector

The tax list revealed several other significant contributors from the motor industry. Former car salesman Henry Moser, who transitioned into car finance, ranked 25th overall after paying £62m in tax. Other notable inclusions from the dealership sector included Stoneacre owner Richard Teatum, who occupied 70th position with a £17.1m tax bill, and International Motors founder Lord Edmiston, who paid £16m to claim 76th place.

JCT600 boss John Tordoff and Park's Motor Group founder Douglas Park also featured prominently, with their families paying £14.9m and £13.9m respectively, securing 77th and 85th positions in the rankings. Interestingly, Cargiant boss Geoffrey Warren – recognised as the UK's wealthiest car dealer with a net worth of £2.55bn in last year's Sunday Times Rich List – was a notable absentee from the tax list.

Broader Tax Landscape and Economic Context

Overall, the rankings were topped for the first time by the billionaire brothers behind gambling giant Betfred, surpassing musicians, entrepreneurs and sporting stars. The list showed that the top 100 taxpayers paid a total of £5.758bn in tax, representing an increase from £4.985bn the previous year.

Robert Watts, who compiled the list, commented: '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.' He noted that 'this year there's been a big jump in the amount of tax we've identified – largely because of higher corporation tax rates.'

The research also highlighted that six taxpayers featured on the list despite having left the UK over the past year, amid reports of wealthy individuals moving to avoid higher taxes under Labour or due to the removal of non-dom status. These included Revolut founder Nik Storonsky, Wren Kitchens founder Malcolm Healey and sports promoter Eddie Hearn.

Watts observed: 'One in nine of the people who make the tax list are no longer listed as resident here in the UK, instead choosing to live in Morocco, Dubai, Switzerland, Cyprus, Portugal, the United States and the Channel Islands. Clearly the tax listers who have moved offshore are still delivering huge sums to HM Treasury through their businesses, but the Chancellor would no doubt be raising even more money from these people had they chosen to stay put and remain liable for personal tax here.'