The UK's tax landscape is set for a shake-up, with an overwhelming majority of taxpayers demanding higher taxes on big tech firms. A staggering 67% of respondents in the Fair Tax Foundation's annual survey believe that major global technology companies such as Meta, Google, and Amazon should be subject to increased levies. This growing sentiment comes as official figures reveal that the current digital services tax generated £800 million for the Treasury in the 2024-25 financial year, but critics argue it is still a fraction of what these multinationals could afford.
The Fair Tax Foundation's research, based on a sample of approximately 2,000 adults across Great Britain, suggests that public opinion leans strongly towards ensuring tech giants contribute more to the UK exchequer. The survey reflects Office for National Statistics census data and highlights a consistent trend over the past decade: three-quarters of Britons want to associate with businesses that demonstrate fair tax practices. This enduring appetite for corporate tax transparency is evident in this year's poll, where 75% of respondents expressed a preference to 'work for' and 'shop with' companies that can show they are paying their fair share.
While the government has not indicated plans to increase the digital services tax, which currently stands at 2% of revenues for search engine, social media, or marketplace companies generating over £25 million in UK sales or £500 million globally, opposition parties may use these findings as leverage. The results present a clear public mandate that could pressure the Chancellor of the Exchequer to review taxation levels for highly profitable tech firms.
Paul Monaghan, Chief Executive of the Fair Tax Foundation, commented: "This research demonstrates that the UK is still at its core a fair tax nation. Britons care deeply about 'tax justice', and they expect their government to act decisively to ensure all businesses pay their fair share." The consistent level of support for stronger corporate tax policies underscores the public's enduring view on this issue, which has been observed in polling over the past decade.