Louth TD reveals over a quarter of PAYE workers may be overpaying tax

Labour’s finance spokesperson and Louth TD, Ged Nash is making an appeal to PAYE workers to make a tax return online and claim the tax reliefs they are entitled to, after he uncovered figures that show over a quarter of workers are potentially overpaying their income tax.

Deputy Nash uncovered the figures in a parliamentary question to Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe TD.

He explained: “I secure this data every year so I can make a simple appeal to PAYE workers – do a tax return online and claim all of the tax reliefs and credits the law entitles you to claim, from tax relief on medical bills to the renters’ tax credit.

“Every extra cent makes a difference to working families in the highest cost economy in the EU.”

Deputy Nash said: “It is now clear from the figures issued to me from the Revenue Commissioners that over a quarter of all PAYE taxpayers in 2023 and 2024 may have overpaid tax.

“That’s a total of 231,000 in 2023 and 312,000 in 2024. The figures are remarkably similar from the corresponding data I received on the same date last year.

“This leads me to believe that it may be some of the same taxpayers who year-on-year, fail to do a return and get the cash back that they are owed.”

The Louth Labour TD added: “It is worth reminding PAYE taxpayers that the file and return deadline for the 2024 tax year is Wednesday, November 19.

“The key reliefs available are medica relief for things like doctor’s and pharmacy bills, home carers credit, renters credit and others.

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“Hundreds of euros may be available to be refunded to anyone in this large cohort who has overpaid their taxes. Based on the figures from recent years, an average gain of €900 could be due to those who overpaid.

“I would encourage the Minister and the Revenue Commissioners to run, on an annual basis, a high-profile promotional campaign to encourage PAYE taxpayers to file tax returns and claim all the reliefs and credits workers are entitled to.”