Covid: Sunak mulls tougher VAT rules for Uber drivers and Airbnb landlords

Potential crackdown on sharing economy comes as chancellor seeks to revive public finances

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Rishi Sunak is considering toughening up VAT rules for the Uber drivers and Airbnb landlords central to the rapidly expanding sharing economy as the Treasury considers ways of repairing the damage to the public finances caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The chancellor has taken the first steps towards increasing the government's VAT revenues with the publication of a consultation document calling for feedback from digital providers and their competitors.