COVID-Era Driver Assistance: Exempt Payouts and Expense Rebates

Key steps and distinctions

Government-funded Special Relief Fund payments for February–December 2020 were exempt in YA 2021; government-funded COVID-19 Driver Relief Fund payments for 2021 were exempt in YA 2022. Additional operator cash or e-wallet support was generally taxable income, while reduced rent meant claiming only the rent actually charged. Road Tax Rebate savings passed to drivers in 2021–2022 and the S$360 Additional Petrol Duty Rebate in 2021 reduced deductible expenses when delivered as cash or wallet credits; rental reductions likewise lowered the actual rental claim. These rebates were not added to gross driving income for the 60% fixed-expense calculation. The example uses S$20,900 driving income, S$12,000 rental, S$1,000 other expenses and S$460 combined rebates: actual deductible expenses are S$12,540, also equal to 60% of that particular income. For the separate S$150 August 2022 relief, a rent reduction lowered the rental deduction, whereas e-wallet credits were taxable additional income. These treatments relate to the named historic schemes and payment forms, not all future driver grants.