One of Amazon’s biggest operations in the UK paid just £1million last year in corporation tax – despite a turnover of more than £2.3billion.
And even that was £700,000 less than the paltry £1.7million the business paid in 2017.
The figures relate to Amazon UK Services, which handles the web giant’s “fulfilment centres”, deliveries and customer services.
Accounts published at Companies House show turnover had jumped from nearly £2billion. But money ploughed back into the business kept profits to just £75.4million – only slightly up from £72.4million in 2017.
Its current year corporation tax bill on that was £14million. But that fell to just over £1million after taking account of staff share awards and deferred taxes.
Amazon has more than 12 companies operating in the UK. Hitting back at criticism over its tax payments, it revealed for the first time they paid £793million tax last year altogether.
That includes £220million in direct taxes – employer national insurance, business rates and corporation tax – along with £573million in indirect taxes including VAT.
The US firm insisted in a blog post: “Focusing narrowly on one aspect of taxation doesn’t tell the whole story.”
Its parent company in the US revealed total sales in the UK hit a record £10.9billion last year.
George Turner, of Tax Watch, said: “We should focus on what they’re not paying.”
