Swedish private healthcare company dodging Danish taxes

Billions being paid out, nothing coming back

Nov 17, 2014

Danish watercoolers are today at boiling point as thousands discuss how the Swedish private homecare and welfare services provider Attendo, which has been providing home healthcare and other welfare services to Danish councils since 1996, has yet to pay a single kroner in income tax.

According to a documentary broadcast on DR1, the company has been paid billions of kroner to provide nursing home and other services that at one time were the responsibility of the state, but without being required to pay taxes. The company currently provides services to councils in Gribskov, Hvidovre, Rødovre and Copenhagen.

No profits, no taxes
Attendo used debt and interest on the debt to finance its initial years in Denmark, effectively lowering its tax burden to zero.

However, the company says it is still not turning a profit in Denmark, so its operations here continue to be a write-off.

READ MORE: Denmark billed as ‘perfect’ tax haven

“We have not succeeded in making a profit as of yet, so just like any other company, we are not liable for taxes,” Attendo spokesperson Mårten Lewander told DR.

Attendo Group has recently started to pay taxes in Sweden – after a tax loophole in that country was closed.

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