UK taxpayers demand higher levies on big tech firms, survey finds

British taxpayers want the UK government to increase taxes on major global technology firms like Meta, Google, and Amazon, according to a new survey. The poll, released by the Fair Tax Foundation, indicates that 67% of respondents favor higher digital services taxes on multinational tech groups to boost their contribution to the UK's revenue.

The UK introduced its digital services tax in 2020. This tax applies a 2% rate to the revenues of search engine, social media, and marketplace companies that exceed specific sales thresholds in the UK or globally. Currently, only a few tech firms pay this levy, which generated approximately £800 million for the government in 2024-25.

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to increase their overall tax contribution in the UK

However, the tax has faced criticism, with some arguing it leads to increased fees for users. It has also drawn strong opposition from the United States, with former President Donald Trump previously threatening tariffs on the UK if the tax on American tech companies was not dropped.

The Fair Tax Foundation's study also revealed that three-quarters of the British public would choose to work for and shop with businesses that can demonstrate they are paying their fair share of taxes. Paul Monaghan, the foundation's chief executive, stated that "tax justice" is a consistent top concern for the public regarding corporate conduct, urging the government to ensure all businesses pay their due taxes.

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This research demonstrates that the UK is still at its core a fair tax nation. The UK public care about many issues, but ‘tax justice’ is consistently at the top of their concerns when it comes to corporate conduct. They want to see government do much more to ensure that all businesses, both large and small, pay their fair share of tax.