Thousands of Irish workers eligible for little known Revenue payment

October 6, 2022
|In Taxation, VAT
|By Angela O'Leary

Thousands of Irish workers can claim a little known Revenue payment to help ease the burden of the cost of living crisis.

A Fine Gael senator has revealed that many people are eligible for flat rate expenses which could be worth up to €2,900. Two thirds of Irish people aren’t aware of the payment according to Senator Garret Ahearn who shared the top tip on TikTok.

Flat-rate expenses cover the cost of equipment employees need for work such as tools, uniforms and stationery according to Revenue. The payment is available to many professions and it can be claimed for four years.

Senator Ahearn said: “Two thirds of the country don’t know anything about flat rate expenses. This is money that’s given back to you in whatever work you do to recognise that you have extra expenses to pay because of that job you do.

“I have three pages of professions here, a list of all the jobs where you can claim back something on it, except politicians. If you’re an agricultural adviser you can claim up to €671 a year, you can claim that back over four years so that’s over €2,000, pharmacists can claim €400.

“Panel beaters, shop assistants, social workers, teachers, vets, there’s almost every job that you can think of. Civil servants can even claim back money, dentists, people that work in the building sector.

“Look at the website to see what you could be entitled to and see if you can apply for it. You can go back four years so it’s an awful lot of money that you can claim back and almost no one does it.”

The amount of the deduction is agreed between Revenue and representatives of groups or classes of employees (usually trade union officials). All employees of the class or group in question can then claim the agreed deduction in their own tax credits.

Flat rate expenses can be claimed by completing an Income Tax return. You can find this form in PAYE Services in myAccount .

To claim Flat rate expenses:

  • sign in to myAccount
  • select ‘Manage Your Tax 2022’
  • click ‘Claim tax credits’
  • select ‘Your job’ and click ‘Flat Rate Expenses’
  • complete and submit the form.