The Tax Office began sending payments out last week and plans to complete the distribution by May 16.

The Second Commissioner for Tax, Jennie Granger, said about 7.4million taxpayers were due to receive payments but another 1.1 million were estimated to be eligible but had not lodged a tax return.

The bonus payment had encouraged many taxpayers to file their returns sooner, but time was running out for those who had not yet done so, Ms Granger said. In February 1.6 million returns were outstanding and in the past week 162,000 taxpayers had filed, compared with 100,000 in the same week last year.

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