Planning a weekend away?

The Government’s Stay and Spend scheme begins today, so you could claim up to €125 back in tax credits if you’re spending money on accommodation or food between now and April 30th, 2021.

As part of the initiative, announced as part of the Jobs Stimulus Package, you can claim a 20% refund on any hospitality spend over €25.

You can take advantage of the scheme when paying for hotel breaks, meals and soft drinks in Irish restaurants by photographing your receipts and uploading them using the Revenue Receipts Tracker app. A list of participating providers, including Kinsale’s Trident Hotel, The River Lee and Maldron Hotels in the city and Ballymaloe House in East Cork, is available here.

Restaurants that have already signed up include Paradiso, Market Lane, Greenes and Cask, the Bunnyconnellan and Bramley Lodge.

With many Irish hotels and businesses on their knees and most of us in dire need of some time off, it’s a win/win.

Here’s the deal…

The new Stay and Spend tax credit will apply from the 2020 year of assessment. Individuals will be entitled to a tax credit equal to 20% of qualifying expenditure on accommodation, food and non-alcoholic drink incurred from October 1st, 2020 to April 30th, 2021, subject to certain limits and conditions. This can include meals in local restaurants.

How much do I have to spend?

Individual taxpayers can make a claim for the credit if they spend at least €25 on qualifying services with a qualifying provider. You must submit proof of that expenditure with their claim.

If you spend €100 you will qualify for a €20 tax credit, €300 will get you a €60 tax credit and a €625 spend (or greater) will allow you to claim the maximum €125 tax credit.

What the maximum amount I can claim?

The maximum tax credit available to an individual is €125. For a jointly assessed couple, the maximum credit available will be €250 on a spend of €1,250.

How do I claim it?

The Revenue Receipts Tracker app is available to download free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

What does a business need to do to benefit from the scheme?

In order to qualify for the scheme, service providers must provide qualifying services, be VAT-registered, hold a current tax clearance certificate, and register through Revenue’s Online Service.