Google's UK staff earned average of £234,000 in 2019

Company paid more than 1bn in wages but only 44m in UK corporation tax

Google's UK staff earned an average of 234,000 each last year as the tech firm paid more than 1bn in wages and a share scheme - but only 44m in UK corporation tax.

Google, which increased UK staff numbers by almost 800 to 4,439 last year, footed its first 1bn-plus wage and salary bill for the year to the end of June. The 1.04bn total was a 25% increase on the 829m paid to staff in 2018, according to the company's latest financial filings in Britain.