News Reader.info

Online giant Amazon has revealed it paid £781m in direct taxes last year, a leap of more than £130m from the previous year, as it continued its rapid UK expansion. The global marketplace and

technology firm said it invested more and generated higher revenues during 2022. With a workforce of 75,000 in the UK and more than 100 warehouses and offices, Amazon benefited from a surge

in demand for online deliveries during the pandemic, ramping up its operations and going on a recruitment drive to cope with more customer orders. The direct taxes the firm must pay

includes business rates, corporation tax and employer national insurance. READ MORE: THREE AMAZON DRIVERS SUE AFTER CLAIMING THEY WERE FORCED TO URINATE IN BOTTLES The bill rose to £781m

from £648m in 2021. Including indirect taxes like VAT, Amazon said it paid more than £3.6bn in total contributions last year, a huge jump from the £2.7bn paid the previous year. It ranks in

the top 15 largest UK taxpayers for overall total tax contribution, according to data from PwC. It came as Amazon saw its revenues surge to a new record high of £24bn, an increase of £1bn

year-on-year. The business has invested more in infrastructure as it continued its growth across the UK. More than £1.6bn was spent on investments including fitting warehouses with the

latest robotics technology and opening a new development centre in Swansea. The tech giant said it was “proud of the significant economic contribution we are making to the UK economy”. The

announcement comes after Amazon revealed that it will let parents and grandparents who work in its UK warehouses work only during term time. The moves comes amid a battle over pay and

conditions with the GMB union, which is fighting the firm for recognition. Amazon said the new contracts would guarantee those who care for school-age children, including guardians, time off

during school holidays, including six weeks in the summer, plus two weeks at Easter and Christmas. Amazon said it had trialled the contracts at three sites after worker feedback and these

were being phased in across all of its fulfilment centres, where employees store, pick and pack products. They will be rolled out to sorting centres and delivery hubs across the UK this

year.