HMRC has published its Digital Services Tax Manual. The new tax applies to businesses that offer a digital services activity. When revenues received in connection with that activity exceed specific annual thresholds, digital services tax returns must be submitted and tax may have to be paid. The thresholds are £500m of worldwide revenue from the activities, with £25m of these revenues attributable to UK users. The rate of tax is 2%.
HMRC considers the following to be digital services activities for the purposes of DST:
- a social media service;
- an internet search engine; and
an online marketplace.