Public opposition mounts to wealth tax plans as nearly 70% say high earners pay fair share
Nearly seven in ten Britons believe high earners already contribute their fair share in taxation, according to recent polling that poses a significant challenge to incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposed reforms targeting the wealthy.
The survey findings come as Burnham prepares to succeed Keir Starmer, who resigned as Prime Minister on 22 June 2026, with the former Greater Manchester Mayor widely expected to take the top job. His longstanding advocacy for property taxation reforms and wealth redistribution now faces public scepticism about imposing additional burdens on top earners.
High earners already shoulder substantial tax burden
Official figures underscore the substantial tax contribution already made by the highest earners. The top 1% of UK earners paid a third of all income tax and capital gains tax collected in 2023-24, amounting to £93.8 billion, according to HMRC data obtained through Freedom of Information requests. In 2022-23, the top 1% of income taxpayers alone accounted for 28.5% of all income tax receipts.
The tax burden on high earners has intensified in recent years through a combination of policy changes and fiscal drag. The additional rate threshold was reduced from £150,000 to £125,140 in April 2023, pulling an extra 250,000 people into the 45% tax bracket. By 2024-25, the number paying the top rate had reached 1.14 million, a 24% increase from 923,000 the previous year.
The actual tax burden exceeds the headline rates for many earners. Over 2 million high earners in 2026-27 face an effective marginal rate of 62% due to the withdrawal of the personal allowance for those earning over £100,000, with the allowance reduced by £1 for every £2 earned above that threshold.
With income tax thresholds frozen until 2031, fiscal drag will continue drawing more taxpayers into higher bands even without explicit rate increases, effectively raising the tax burden through inflation alone.
Burnham's property tax proposals
Burnham has advocated replacing council tax and stamp duty with a proportional property tax or land value tax, describing the current council tax system as highly regressive. His support for the Fairer Share campaign signals potential reforms that would shift taxation towards wealth and property ownership rather than income alone.
Complex and contradictory public attitudes
The polling data presents a complex picture of public attitudes. While 70% believe high earners pay their fair share, separate polling from August 2026 showed 72% support for raising income tax or wealth taxes specifically on the top 5% of earners to fund public services. The apparent contradiction suggests public opinion may distinguish between current contributions being adequate and willingness to support targeted increases for specific purposes.
Interestingly, wealthy individuals themselves appear more open to higher taxation than the general public assumes. A survey of UK millionaires in April 2026 found 75% would be willing to pay more tax to ensure Britain remains a place they are proud to live in.
As Burnham prepares to take office, he faces the delicate task of pursuing redistribution policies whilst navigating public resistance to what many perceive as excessive taxation of high earners who already shoulder a disproportionate share of the revenue burden.
