The Financial Times’ Alphaville blog has noted that Uber London Ltd’s accounts filed at Companies House refer to discussions with HM Revenue and Customs about a potential liability for VAT at 20% on either gross bookings or the service fee that Uber charges drivers. This liability may depend on the outcome of a case that Uber is appealing to the Supreme Court to determine whether drivers are self-employed or are ‘workers’ with employment rights. The threshold for VAT liability is £81k a year, so individual drivers are unlikely to be liable. But if Uber is deemed to be an employer, the company would be liable, with potential backdating.
The VAT threshold means that there is not a level playing field for taxi type services. Self-employed drivers, such as the owner-driver of a London black cab, would be at an advantage over a ride-haling company that employed many drivers.