Tax Tips

Work in Construction? 3 Ways You May Be Entitled To Tax Back

Do you work in construction? In the past four years, have you been a PAYE worker? Like many of our customers who work as tradespeople, site managers or labourers in the construction industry, you may be due tax back.

There are numerous tax reliefs in place for construction workers, so read on to discover three ways you could be getting tax back on your income.

1. Get Tax Back For Tools and Uniforms
2. Claim Every Possible Tax Credit
3. Get Tax Back After Short-Term Construction Contracts
Want To Claim Your Tax Back?

1. Get Tax Back For Tools and Uniforms

Purchasing the tools and clothing you need to work on a construction site can add up to quite an expensive sum. However, many tradesmen are eligible to claim tax back on such flat-rate expenses.

This form of tax relief operates slightly differently than a tax credit. It reduced the amount of income that you have to pay tax on instead of directly reducing your tax liability. There are a host of different professions in the construction industry in which you are eligible to claim tax back on employment expenses including:

• Bricklayer

• Fitter mechanic, plasterer

• Electrician

• Mason, roofer slater, tiler, floor layer, stone cutter

• Driver, scaffolder, sheeter, steel erector

• Professionals: engineers, surveyors, etc.

• General operatives (labourers etc. incl. Public Sector)

• Cabinet makers, carpenters, joiners

• Painters, polishers, upholsterers

• Plumbers (non-welders)

• Plumber-welders

• Pipe fitter-welders: €205

If you haven’t been claiming tax relief on any tools, equipment, workwear or uniforms purchased to conduct your role over the last 4 years, you could be due a rebate of several hundred euro in tax back.

2. Claim Every Possible Tax Credit

Every PAYE worker in Ireland is entitled to claim the Employee Tax Credit, which is €1,700 in 2022 (€1,650 in 2021). However, the Revenue office is not responsible for making sure your tax credits are correctly claimed and assigned.

As a result, every construction worker should double-check to make sure they’re receiving the credits they’re entitled to, and if necessary, claim their PAYE tax back.

If you’ve changed employers over the last 4 years or have recently returned to work following the resurgence in construction, there’s a likelihood that you may not be claiming all the tax credits that you are entitled to.

3. Get Tax Back After Short-Term Construction Contracts

In the construction industry, workers can so often move from job to job, and with several concurrent short term contracts. Sometimes there are gaps between these jobs. When you start a new job and register it with Revenue, they automatically assign your tax credits equally across the 52 weeks of the year.

While this is ideal if you’re working for the same company all year round, it can result in a sizable tax back rebate if you were employed in a short term contract.

Similarly, you may be due a tax rebate for USC. If you earned under €13,000, you are not liable for USC. However, if your weekly income is above a certain amount, Revenue can automatically believe you earn this level of income all year round and deduct USC accordingly.

We’ve claimed thousands of euro in overpaid USC for construction workers in Ireland.

Want To Claim Your Tax Back?

For more advice on claiming tax back for construction workers, get in touch with Irish Tax Rebates today! Claim tax back online using our simple 60-second authorisation form and don’t forget – you can claim tax back for the last four years!

New Customers: Apply here.

Existing Customers: Apply For Additional Rebate

Claim your tax back

Terms and Conditions

1. Authorisation to act as agent

I, the undersigned, declare to the Revenue Commissioners of Ireland, that I authorise

Irish Tax Rebates (TAIN 66436K)
1 Leinster Street
Athy
Co Kildare

to act as my agent in dealing with all aspects of the filing of my Irish income tax return, including the submission of refund or credit claims, allowances or reliefs.

I confirm that all documentary evidence of entitlement to credits/reliefs claimed and taxable income sources, will be held for a period of 6 years, beginning at the end of the year of assessment to which the Return of Income and/or claim relates, by myself.

I confirm that this authorisation will remain in force until Revenue is formally notified of its cessation by either myself or Irish Tax Rebates, or for a maximum period of 4 years.

2. Authorisation for Agent to receive refunds on behalf of client

I authorise the transfer of any refund or repayment of PAYE/Income Levy/Universal Social Charge due to me by the Revenue Commissioners by electronic funds transfer to the following bank account which is held by Irish Tax Rebates:

BIC Code: AIBKIE2D
IBAN Number: IE55AIBK93336808365254
Name of Account Holder: Irish Tax Rebates

I understand that any refund made by the Revenue Commissioners to my agent, Irish Tax Rebates, on my behalf is refunded in a similar manner as if same were being refunded directly to me and that once the refund is transferred into the bank account nominated by me I have no further call upon the Revenue Commissioners in respect of same. I understand that Irish Tax Rebates is acting as my agent and is solely responsible to me in respect of any refund received by them on my behalf. I further understand that my agent Irish Tax Rebates is an independent entity and that the Revenue Commissioners make no endorsement of my agent or any such agency and cannot accept any responsibility whatsoever for problems encountered by me in dealing with them. I understand and agree that Irish Tax Rebates will input its own bank account details on the Revenue record for the duration of this mandate and will remove these details on the cessation of the mandate. I confirm that I am aware of, and agree to, the payment of the fees charged by Irish Tax Rebates in respect of the services carried out on my behalf and that this fee will be deducted from any amount refunded by Revenue and that the balance of this amount will be paid to me.

3. Terms and Conditions of Authorisation

I understand that Tax law provides for both civil penalties and criminal sanctions for the failure to make a return, the making of a false return, facilitating the making of a false return, or claiming tax credits, allowances or reliefs which are not due. I confirm that I will provide the necessary documentation to Irish Tax Rebates to support any refund, credit claims or claims for allowances and reliefs made to Revenue on my behalf of Irish Tax Rebates. I confirm that I will provide details of all my sources of income to Irish Tax Rebates.

I understand that I am required to retain all documentation relating to any refund or credit or allowance or relief claimed by the agent on my behalf for a period of 6 years beginning at the end of the year of assessment to which the Return of Income and / or claim relates, and that Irish Tax Rebates will be required to produce same to Revenue upon request.

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