A windfall tax on companies like Amazon is the most popular way to cover the £2.8 billion cost of lockdown to councils, a poll has revealed.
The polling emerges as Amazon’s main subsidiary has announced record sales of £38 billion – but paid no corporation tax.
The windfall tax would apply to online delivery companies that have reported higher profits during the pandemic.
More than 1,000 adults answered the Survation poll, conducted on behalf of trade union GMB. The union represents hundreds of thousands of workers in the NHS, local government and social care.
According to them, the second most popular way of filling in the financial gap is a rise in corporation tax.
The least popular policy was a rise in council tax.
“Politicians should take heed”
Rehana Azam, GMB national secretary, said: “Millions of workers put themselves at risk to keep our country afloat during the pandemic, with many of them only entitled to poverty statutory sick pay if they had Covid symptoms and had to self-isolate.
“The public knows the true value of our frontline workers and are telling politicians to do the right thing by the care workers, nurses, NHS staff, schools staff and local government workers who stood by us all.
Azam added: “Amazon is a global giant, exploiting workers and communities across the globe.
“They’re quids in from this pandemic and despite scooping a boat load of cash they still dodge paying their taxes.
“We need a windfall tax on the Covid profiteers to fund our frontline workers and shredded public services.
“Politicians should take heed as the UK goes to the polls.”
The Local Government Association estimates that local authorities will have lost out on £2.8 billion in income during the pandemic.
Related: Pandemic winner Amazon pays no corporation tax on sales of €44bn in Europe
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