John Barnes Faces Over £1.5 Million Debt and Company Director Ban

Former England international and Liverpool icon John Barnes has accumulated debts exceeding £1.5 million related to his media business, which led to a court banning him from acting as a company director for three and a half years.

The 61-year-old owes money primarily to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and other creditors. His unpaid liabilities include £776,878 in VAT, National Insurance, and PAYE, as well as £461,849 to unsecured creditors. Additionally, he owes a £226,000 director’s loan and £56,535 in liquidator’s costs. Barnes has repaid only £60,000 so far, agreeing to settle the debt through installments.

The media company, John Barnes Media Limited, went into liquidation two years after defaulting on over £190,000 in tax. The company, based in Surrey, described itself as providing media representation services and ceased trading in January 2020. During its operation, it generated a turnover of £441,798.

In April last year, Barnes received a ban from serving as a director, preventing him from involvement in company management without court approval. An investigation by the Insolvency Service revealed that between November 2018 and October 2020, the company did not pay any taxes, including £78,839 in corporation tax and £115,272 in VAT.

During this period, Barnes was the sole director of the company, which reported earnings of over £440,000. The investigation highlighted his failure to meet tax obligations despite the company’s revenue.

In a statement last year, the Chief Investigator expressed concern over tax evasion, emphasizing that such actions deprive the government of vital funding. Barnes had previously admitted disliking dealing with bills and taxes, often letting his wife handle such matters.