Parents owed thousands

THE Irish Daily Mail previously revealed that up to 61,000 stayat-home parents may be owed tax refunds of up to €4,000 each, but are not claiming it.

Last month’s budget revealed a rise in tax credit for home carers from €1,200 to €1,500 a year. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said this is for ‘80,000 families where one spouse works primarily in the home to care for children or other dependants’.

The Home Carer Credit aims to prevent families from being penalised when someone stays at home to look after the children. Figures from the Central Statistics Office show that there are at least 147,000 couples who could qualify.

Minister Donohoe’s press office confirmed 86,000 are actually getting the credit.

Therefore, around 61,000 single-income families may be due both this credit and tax refunds going back four years, worth about €4,110 each.