Taxi operators competing with Uber will not be required to pay a 20% VAT on earnings outside London after the UK’s highest court ruled that private-hire firms do not establish a direct contract with passengers.
The case originated from a 2021 supreme court decision classifying Uber drivers as workers, affecting Uber’s tax liabilities. Uber later sought a legal clarification that private-hire operators formed contracts with passengers, which the London high court affirmed in 2023.
This initial ruling would have imposed a 20% VAT on operators, but it was overturned last July after Delta Taxis and Veezu contested the decision. Uber then escalated the matter to the supreme court, which rejected its argument unanimously on Tuesday.
In another legal matter, Bolt, an Estonian ride-hailing and delivery service, recently prevailed against an HMRC appeal concerning its VAT obligations. The tax authority had argued for a 20% VAT on the full fare, but a court ruled that Bolt is only liable for VAT on its portion of earnings. HMRC has been permitted to challenge this decision in a higher court.
Read next

"AirPods Pro 3 reviewed: Upgraded battery, superior noise cancellation, top-tier performance"
Apple’s widely used AirPods Pro wireless earbuds have returned for their third iteration, offering improvements in comfort, battery performance, integrated heart rate tracking, and enhanced noise cancellation. The new model appears poised to be as prevalent as earlier versions.
Three years have passed since the previous release, yet the

"Peter Thiel's secret talks on antichrist shed more light on him than doomsday"
Peter Thiel’s Unusual Academic Pursuits
Peter Thiel is known for his skepticism toward academia. Yet, in four recent private lectures in San Francisco discussing the antichrist, the billionaire investor has made an unexpected case for intellectual credentials.
During these wide-ranging talks, Thiel appeared to channel the eclectic thinking he

"X resolves $128M severance dispute with former Twitter executives"
# Elon Musk and X Reach Settlement with Former Twitter Executives Over Severance Dispute
Elon Musk and X have resolved a legal dispute with four former high-ranking executives of Twitter, including the company’s ex-CEO, who alleged that the billionaire withheld $128 million in severance payments after acquiring the social media