Professor Rita de la Feria comments on recent ruling on the employment status of Uber drivers, and what it can mean for tax systems

The Supreme Court ruled that Uber drivers should be classed as workers, not independent third-party contractors and are therefore entitled to minimum wage and holiday pay.

The School of Law’s Chair in Tax Law Professor Rita de la Feria appeared on LBC Radio on 19 February to comment on the recent ruling on the employment status of Uber drivers, and the wider implications it could have on the taxation of the gig economy. 

Professor de la Feria said “whilst this decision of the UK Supreme Court concerned employment law, rather than tax law, it can potentially have very significant effects on taxation. The gig economy presents many challenges to tax systems worldwide, from income taxes to VAT, and as we try to get to grips with these challenges, decisions such as this one on Uber present important clues as to what the future holds for taxation of the gig economy.” 

Listen to Professor de la Feria’s comments here from 1h 40mins.