Uber: we pay all our taxes

Uber today stressed it was paying all its taxes due in the UK after being criticised over its multi-national arrangements.

Accounts for Uber London Ltd show the British company’s turnover doubled to £23.3 million last year and it paid £411,000 tax on profit of £1.8 million.

But accounts for Uber’s international sales hub, based in Amsterdam, showed commission from drivers in London and other cities around the world rising sharply last year.

Uber denied that it was channelling revenue through Holland to avoid UK taxes. A spokesman said: “While we recorded a profit here (in the UK) last year, globally we make a loss as we are a young company that is still expanding and investing heavily.

“The vast majority of the revenue generated by our technology goes straight into the pockets of drivers who use our app and so stays in the local economy.”

However, the tax structure used by the cab giant has raised some concerns.

Labour MEP and tax campaigner Anneliese Dodds said: “Compared to the way you pay for ordinary taxis, this kind of structure is ridiculous.”

Meg Hillier, chairman of the Commons public accounts committee, did not criticise Uber but added: “The more transparency about what profits are made and taxes are due, the better.”