HOUSEHOLDERS have been warned that they have just two weeks to claim tax refunds. “You should make a claim for any medical expenses, tuition fees, service charges, incurred in 2008 before December 31.”

“There are a variety of ways in which you can claim back some of the tax that you have paid, provided you take action before December 31,” said Rory Meehan, partner at accountants RSM Farrell Grant Sparks. The time limit for claiming a tax refund is four years. This means that any refunds due for 2008 should be submitted before the end of this month.

Taxpayers can get back 20pc on health expenses in a tax year.

Families can also get tax relief at 20pc on tuition fees for college paid to an approved college for an approved course. Mr. Meehan said that anyone who has received a lump sum or redundancy payments of €200,000 or more can claim ‘top-slicing relief’.

Workers with a pension can make an additional voluntary contribution on or before December 31 and get relief at source if paid through payroll.

Self-employed people can also claim relief on pension contributions, which if made up to and including October 31 next year qualify for relief against 2012 income. From January, the self-employed will no longer get a tax credit for making a charity donation.

Up to the end of the year, the self-employed can claim the tax relief in their 2012 tax return.

Source: Independent, Charlie Weston Personal Finance Editor