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Bosses at online takeaway giant Deliveroo were handed a potential shares bonanza of more than £20million last year, despite anger at pay and conditions for its thousands of UK riders.

Among those rewarded with bumper share options was nearly £8.3million for Deliveroo’s highest paid director.

The firm refused to say if this was Deliveroo co-founder and chief executive Will Shu.

However, it comes after a wave of protests by Deliveroo riders across the country.

Deliveroo says riders are paid an average of £10 an hour. However, all 25,000 UK riders are self-employed, meaning they are not entitled to paid holiday or sick pay.

Accounts for Deliveroo’s London-based parent company, Roofoods Ltd, show a total £22.9million went to “key management personnel” last year.

Of that, £20.7million was linked to share options, or “restricted stock units, with almost £8.3million allocated to Roofoods’ highest paid director.

The share options are not in cash, and only have a notional value at this stage.

But they could be worth a packet if Deliveroo was bought, or floated on the stock market, with previous rumours of a more than £3billion listing.

Mick Rix, national officer at the GMB union, said: “Once again we see bosses riding high on the backs of those who make their wealth.

“Under the guise of bogus self-employment, fatcats make a mint while the people who keep the business running struggle to make ends meet.

“We urge Deliveroo to meet with GMB so we can help them improve conditions for their workers."

London-based Deliveroo was founded by childhood friends Mr Shu, 39, and Greg Orlowski.

It now has deals with with 80,000 restaurants and takeaways, including big name chains such as Pizza Express, Wagamama and KFC.

The firm uses 60,000 self-employed riders in 14 countries, and employs 2,300 staff directly.

Web giant Amazon recently invested in Deliveroo, although the Competition and Markets Authority is investigating the move.

Roofoods paid no UK corporation tax last year, after losses grew from £200.3million to £243.4million. Instead, it received a tax rebate - or credit - worth £642,491.

Deliveroo said this was due to money invested in research and development.

Revenues rocketed from £277.1million to £476.2million.

Former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King recently criticised Deliveroo.

He said: “Do Deliveroo feel they have any ownership or responsibility of the road worthiness of the vehicles that their drivers and riders use?

“Or the extent to which their riders and drivers abide by the law?”

Deliveroo has previously said it looked at giving riders shares in the firm but was told this would put their self-employed status at risk.

Deliveroo said: “Deliveroo is a fast growing British tech success story creating work for thousands of people and boosting the British economy.

“Deliveroo wants all employees to share in the success of the company, which is why last year we announced that all staff would be given share options in the company.”