Anybody switching to UK Google Tax?

Posted by: Harry on 23 January 2016

I'm going to ask my accountant to get me onto that Google Tax Scheme the HMRC have just introduced. I'm going to save a fortune.

Happy days.

Posted on: 23 January 2016 by Jonathan Gorse

You're so right Harry - and it's not just Google.  Apple have an untaxed cash mountain stashed in a small place just outside Cork Ireland totalling $180 billion.  It's the kind of amount that could cure third world poverty or major diseases and yet because of the moral bankrupcy of companies like Apple, Google, Amazon etc the money just sits there doing nothing.

http://www.theguardian.com/bus...-cash-mountain-grows

The older I get, the less I respect these transnational organisations and their morally bankrupt behaviour.  I don't think it's fair that companies that pay legitimate taxes:  John Lewis, M&S, Dixons, HMV, Tesco etc should have to compete with tax dodging transnationals that book their accounts in territories with favourable tax regimes like Amazon.   Perhaps it's time to show big business the contempt it deserves rather than worshipping at the altar of these behemoths.  It's the same reason I loathe Michael O'leary with a passion - he's a complete turd to his staff, his customers and the planet in general so I won't get on one of his aeroplanes, ever.

It's funny but traditionally one rebelled more in one's student days and then settled down into comfortable and accepting middle and old age but I seem to be going the other way!!  I have zero respect, admiration or loyalty to these corporate monsters that capitalism has created.  Where possible I buy British, support underdog products and retailers and manufacturers who treat their staff, customers and neighbours with a degree of respect.

I only admire the true greats of industry now - the ones with a moral compass!

Jonathan

Posted on: 23 January 2016 by CariocaJeff
Harry posted:

I'm going to ask my accountant to get me onto that Google Tax Scheme the HMRC have just introduced. I'm going to save a fortune.

Happy days.

+1 

I will happily sign up too!

Posted on: 24 January 2016 by Steve J

As someone, amongst many, about to pay a large amount to the HMRC it's particularly galling.

Posted on: 24 January 2016 by Harry

Isn't Jeff Bezos a shining example to us all? Not that he is the only one.  He's sitting on enough unpaid tax to potentially clear world poverty and what does he do? Play spacemen. 

HMRC will trumpet Google as a big victory. And keeping giving them a mild tickle while the rest of us get pushed to the ground and kicked. 

If my account can't get me a Google deal I'll just have to find someone more "creative". I wonder if George Osborne's company accountant is available?

Posted on: 24 January 2016 by Mike-B
According to my accountant the HMRC agreement on the large multi-nationals tax  (how much & where to pay)  issues was agreed on an international basis a long time back (in Tony Blair's time) & that's how Google have been paying.
I also understand its now been internationally agreed to change & that's what we are going thru now, & whats been agree with Google is a correction to what should have been paid under the old agreement,  not a halfway house deal between the old & new agreement.
Or am I mis-understanding this  ???  .........  
Posted on: 24 January 2016 by Harry

It's based on UK earnings and as I understand it (possibly incorrectly) the international component was used as a fudge by those who owed tax on UK earnings. If I could get a Google deal it looks like my taxes would be deferred for 10 years and rated at less than 10%. That's got to be better than the scheme HMRC currently has me on and it should be made available to everybody. Or maybe we should just start making it available to ourselves off line and neglect to inform HMRC?

It's probably me getting old and even more grumpy but if society, business practice, the banking system and how finance/tax is regulated tell me anything, it's that the time for honesty has passed.