Tens of thousands of households who received coronavirus supports will receive tax bills today.

Households do not have to pay the tax immediately, with Revenue aiming to collect it interest-free over a four-year period.

The payments will be taken via tax credits beginning in 2022.

The Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and wage subsidy schemes were not taxed in real time, with the Government agreeing late last year to tax them retrospectively.

According to figures released by Revenue last night, some 420,000 taxpayer units (single workers or jointly-assessed couples) who received pandemic payments will receive a tax bill.

Some 132,300 of these will receive bills totaling €1,000 or more.

Pandemic Unemployment Payment

According to figures released by Revenue last night, just short of 100,000 single workers or couples that were in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will receive a tax bill.

• 100 owe more than €5,000.
• 22,000 owe between €1,000 and €5,000.
• 77,600 owe less than €1,000.

Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme

Nearly 198,500 single workers or couples that were in receipt of the Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme will receive a bill.

• 200 owe more than €5,000.
• 77,300 owe between €1,000 and €5,000.
• 121,200 owe less than €1,000.

PUP and TWSS

Revenue said 121,500 single workers or couples will receive a bill relating to both payments.

• 100 owe more than €5,000.
• 32,600 owe between €1,000 and €5,000.
• 88,800 owe less than €1,000.

The Government agreed to tax coronavirus payments late last year and backdated the measure to March13th.

Sinn Féin Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty said it was the first time in his career he had seen a Government agree a “retrospective taxation” policy.

He said the Government “rewound the clock” and warned that people would face bills up to €1,500.

Statements

In a statement, Declan Rigney, head of Revenue’s Personal Division said the tax statements, available via MyAcount on Ros.ie, will “bring a level of visibility, assurance and certainty to those who were concerned about their end of year position.”

He said that overall, 80% of households have an end of year tax position that is “either balanced, overpaid or underpaid by less than €200.”