[IN CONFIDENCE RELEASE EXTERNAL]
25OIA2362
15 July 2025
Ryan Wilkinson
[FYI request #31180 email]
Dear Ryan Wilkinson
Thank you for your request made under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA), received on 2
June 2025. You requested the following:
… the total value and number of tax refunds paid to individuals (ie, not companies, trusts,
etc) for the recent 2025 tax year, and the previous 4 years.
On 24 June 2025, you clarified your request to be for the total value and number of tax refunds
paid to individuals (ie, not companies, trusts, etc) for the 2025 tax year (up to and including the
7 July 2025).
On 1 July 2025, we extended the timeframe to respond to your request by 10 working days to
15 July 2025. This extension was made under section 15A(1)(b) of the OIA, to allow time for
necessary consultations to make a decision on your request.
Information being released
The table below details the number and value of individual income tax assessments that have
been finalised as at 8 July 2025 for the 2021 to 2025 tax years.
Tax Year
Assessment status
Customers
Inc Refund
($millions)
2021
Completed
2,163,000
1,261.0
Pending refund
55,000
14.6
2022
Completed
2,201,000
1,315.1
Pending refund
52,000
16.9
2023
Completed
2,274,000
1,604.3
Pending refund
92,000
30.1
2024
Completed
2,377,000
1,740.3
Pending refund
132,000
51.7
2025
Completed
2,171,000
1,160.4
Pending refund
165,000
70.1
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[IN CONFIDENCE RELEASE EXTERNAL]
25OIA2362
Information includes refunds from automatically issued income tax assessments as well as IR3
returns.
Completed assessments are when the value of the assessment has been refunded to the
customer or has been used to offset other debits or liabilities the customer may have.
Pending refund assessments are where the customer has a credit currently available to be used.
The vast majority of "pending refund" cases are where Inland Revenue did/does not have a valid
bank account number.
This data may change over time as returns are filed or amended and as bank accounts are
provided. The 2025 income tax event is still in progress, and the information is likely to change
significantly. The majority of remaining 2025 income tax assessments are finalised by April 2026.
Publishing of OIA response
We intend to publish our response to your request on Inland Revenue’s websit
e (ird.govt.nz) as
this information may be of interest to other members of the public. This letter, with your personal
details removed, may be published in its entirety. Publishing responses increases the availability
of information to the public and is consistent with the OIA's purpose of enabling more effective
participation in the making and administration of laws and policies and promoting the
accountability of officials.
Thank you again for your request.
Yours sincerely
Jessie Unuka
Segment Management Lead, Individuals
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