Jamie Carragher faces bankruptcy over reported £800,000 tax bill

Former Liverpool defender and England international Jamie Carragher is facing a bankruptcy petition over an unpaid tax bill reportedly worth between £700,000 and £800,000.

According to reports from the BBC, court documents show that a bankruptcy case was filed against James Lee Duncan Carragher on Wednesday, with lawyers acting for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) submitting the petition.

HMRC declined to comment specifically on Carragher's case but said bankruptcy proceedings are only pursued when other avenues have been exhausted.

“We take a supportive approach to dealing with customers who have tax debts and do everything we can to help those who engage with us to get out of debt, such as offering instalment plans. We only petition for bankruptcy as a last resort,” an HMRC spokesperson said.

Carragher's representatives, however, indicated that the matter is already being addressed and is expected to be settled shortly.

“This is a private tax matter that should have been resolved sooner, and the appropriate steps are being taken today to settle it. It is understood that the matter will not proceed any further and will be resolved imminently,” a spokesperson for Carragher told BBC Sport.

The 48-year-old spent his entire senior playing career with Liverpool, making more than 700 appearances for the club between 1996 and 2013.

He has since established himself as one of the most prominent football pundits in Britain.

Carragher is not the first former footballer to encounter financial difficulties linked to tax.

Former England internationals including David James, Wes Brown and Lee Hendrie have been declared bankrupt, while Carragher's former Liverpool teammate Emile Heskey lost a court battle over a £1.637 million tax dispute in 2024.

Former England winger Trevor Sinclair was also declared bankrupt in 2025 over a tax debt exceeding £36,000.

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