Up to 15 partners from the disgraced public relations firm Bell Pottinger have lost more than £1m set aside to pay their annual tax bill, which was not ring-fenced when the entity fell into administration last month.

According to people familiar with the matter, the partners have each lost sums ranging from £30,000 to £100,000 after Bell Pottinger collapsed at the beginning of September following two damning reports that found the PR firm ran a racially divisive campaign in South Africa.