Tuesday newspaper round-up: Fuel poverty, Amazon, Apple, freeports

Almost 400,000 UK households could be pushed into fuel poverty this winter as energy bills climb by almost 10% as a result of rising gas market prices. At least 3 million homes in the UK are already thought to be unable to afford their energy bills, and the number in fuel poverty could grow by 392,000 within the coming months. - Guardian

The Unite union has lodged an official competition complaint against Amazon, alleging the online retailer profited from pandemic-related “price gouging” on products such as hand sanitiser and face masks. In a 41-page letter, seen by the Guardian, lawyers for Unite accuse Amazon of “exploitative abuse of its dominance” and call on the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to launch an investigation. - Guardian

Apple has made a record £720m payment from its UK operations to its Irish holding company and inched up its UK tax payments amid an international shake-up of tax rules. The iPhone maker paid dividends worth just over £600m for its three UK-headquartered businesses in the year to September 2020 and paid a further £120m in December, according to its accounts. - Telegraph

Leading American multinationals plan to increase their investment in Britain over the coming years despite concern over the fallout from leaving the European Union. A survey of large US companies already employing about 275,000 staff in the UK found a clear majority were confident in the country as a place to do business. Several dozen firms signalled they intend to at least modestly boost their expenditure over the next two to three years. - The Times

Most firms still do not have a full understanding of how freeports will operate and be governed, a survey suggests (Louisa Clarence-Smith writes). A report which includes responses from the British Ports Association, Brittany Ferries and Lloyds Bank found that 64 per cent of about 500 businesses questioned were unclear about how the eight freeports in England announced by Rishi Sunak in March would work. - The Times