- 67 per cent of Britons support higher digital services taxes on major tech firms.
- The UK's digital services tax generated around £800 million in 2024-25.
- Three in four people say they would rather work for or buy from companies that pay their fair share of tax.
A majority of Britons believe global technology companies such as Meta, Google and Amazon should pay more tax in the UK, according to new research that suggests public support remains firmly behind tougher taxation of large digital firms.
The findings come as the future of the UK's digital services tax continues to attract political and international attention. A survey released by the Fair Tax Foundation found that 67 per cent of respondents want the government to increase taxes on multinational technology companies to boost their overall tax contribution in Britain.
The results point to a broader public appetite for what campaigners describe as fairer corporate taxation, particularly at a time when governments are under pressure to strengthen public finances and fund public services.
The tax that won't go away
The UK's digital services tax was introduced in 2020 to target revenues generated by large search engines, social media platforms and online marketplaces operating in Britain.
The levy applies a 2 per cent charge on qualifying UK revenues earned by companies with global revenues above £500 million and UK revenues exceeding £25 million. In practice, only a small number of multinational technology firms fall within its scope.
According to official figures, the tax generated around £800 million for the Treasury during the 2024-25 financial year.
Support for the measure has remained remarkably stable. The Fair Tax Foundation's annual polling found backing for higher digital taxes stood at 69 per cent in 2025 and 67 per cent in 2026.
Paul Monaghan, chief executive of the Fair Tax Foundation, reportedly said the findings show tax fairness remains one of the public's biggest concerns when judging corporate behaviour. He added that many people want the government to do more to ensure businesses of all sizes contribute their fair share.
Politics, pressure and public opinion
The debate over digital taxation extends well beyond Britain.
The levy has faced criticism from some businesses, which argue that additional taxes can ultimately lead to higher costs for customers and users. It has also drawn opposition from the US, where President Donald Trump has previously threatened retaliatory tariffs against countries that impose taxes targeting large American technology companies.
Despite those tensions, the survey suggests public sentiment remains largely unchanged.
Around three-quarters of respondents said they would prefer to work for a company that can demonstrate responsible tax practices. A similar proportion said they would rather buy goods or services from businesses that can show they pay an appropriate amount of tax.
The Fair Tax Foundation, which surveys around 2,000 adults across Great Britain each year using census-based sampling, said support for tax transparency and responsible tax conduct has remained consistently high for more than a decade.
While policymakers continue to debate how multinational technology companies should be taxed in an increasingly digital economy, the latest figures suggest many voters have already made up their minds. The question now may be whether governments are willing to turn that public sentiment into tougher tax policy.
