The Block can truly change people’s lives, with the contestants winning hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars on the show.
Off the back of the 2025 season, the teams are walking away with nearly $750,000 shared between them – but there are conditions put on their prize money.
Britt and Taz walked away as winners in 2025. (Credit: Nine)
After pouring their hearts and souls into their homes over the course of the competition, many of the 2025 Blockheads were quite disappointed with the auction day results, with the high reserve prices taking their toll.
Western Australian couple Britt and Taz took home the win with a total of $520,000 million in earnings (including $100,000 in prize money), followed by Sonny and Alicia who won $120,000.
The next highest amount was $109,999.10, taken home by Robby and Mat, while Emma and Ben and Han and Can‘s houses both passed in.
But do the contestants really get to take home their winnings in cold, hard cash? We answer your questions below.
Contestants aren’t taxed on their winnings. (Credit: Nine)
Do The Block winners pay tax on their earnings?
According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), you don’t have to pay tax on lottery winnings or prizes – including reality TV.
“When it comes to winning prize money on reality TV or game shows, you’d only declare it if you regularly appear on these kinds of shows. Then you’d be more like a professional game show contestant/reality TV star. If it’s more like a one-off thing then no need to declare,” an ATO employee wrote online in a community forum in early 2024.
So, the answer is no: The Block contestants don’t need to pay tax on their prize money, meaning they walk away with their full earnings.
Eliza and Liberty revealed contestants are paid in “instalments.” (Credit: Nine)
Do The Block contestants get their auction money straight away?
A previous contestant who appeared on The Block told Yahoo Lifestyle that although their money isn’t taxed, there is a condition put on their funds.
“You don’t get it for 12 months,” they shared. “It’s spread over that period so you don’t talk bad on the show and if so, you don’t get your money.”
2023 runners-up Eliza and Liberty also told the publication that contestants receive their prize money “in instalments.”
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Senior Content Producer
Charlotte Knoke
Senior Content Producer
Charlotte Knoke is a Senior Content Producer working across Woman’s Day and TV WEEK at Are Media. She writes about all things entertainment and lifestyle and has a keen interest in pop culture, royals, fashion, books, travel and women’s sport. Charlotte graduated from the University of Technology Sydney in 2023 with a Bachelor of Communication where she majored in Public Communication and minored in Social and Political Sciences. She has also written for Now To Love and WHO Magazine, and previously worked at a wide variety of companies including Netball Australia, Booktopia, Sportsgirl and Women’s Sport Australia. In her current role, Charlotte particularly enjoys writing about the latest TV shows, celebrity news, fashion picks, must-read books, upcoming movies, and news about both the British and international royal families.