KEY POINTS: What changes about life in Denmark in March 2023?
The release of the annual tax return, cheaper electricity and a switch to summertime. Here's what to look out for in Denmark this March.
The release of personal tax returns – årsopgørelse
The release of the årsopgørelse (annual tax return, calculated and displayed on the SKAT website) is possibly the most important event on the Danish tax calendar. You can access the annual tax returns from March.
Within a set deadline which falls at the beginning of May, taxpayers can edit their tax information, such as changing income or tax exemption information.
Around three out of four taxpayers in Denmark get refunds after the yearly annual return, although others have to pay money back to the tax authority.
Prior to the publication of the annual return, you can check how much tax you’ve paid or are due to pay during the course of the year and edit your income and deductions on the preliminary version of the return, the forskudsopgørelse.
READ ALSO:
- Five essential words you need when paying taxes in Denmark
- Three things to know about Denmark’s ‘forskudsopgørelse’ preliminary tax return
- Årsopgørelse: What you need to know about Denmark’s annual tax return
Cheaper electricity on the way for 2.5 million Danish customers
Two energy grid companies, Cerius and Radius Elnet, are to reduce their tariffs from March 1st. The two companies operate on Zealand and the smaller islands Lolland, Falster and Møn.
Tariffs were increased last year because the companies said they had a backlog of additional costs that they wished to trim.
Money raised from tariffs goes toward the cost of maintaining the electric grid and transporting energy to consumers.
The average tariff for customers in Radius’s area — Copenhagen, North Zealand and parts of Central Zealand — should drop by 18 percent from March, while the rest of Zealand will see their tariffs fall an average of 20 percent.
New inflation package for low income families replaces subsidy scheme
The government has agreed on a package providing financial help to 40,500 young families in Denmark.
A recent winter inflation spending plan designated 300 million kroner for the purpose of assisting families who are struggling to cover costs as a result of inflation.
It replaces a previous subsidy for families with children, known as børnetilskud, which expires on March 1st. Families who received the old subsidy will qualify for the new one, the government said.
The money will be paid out in two instalments, the first by the end of June and the second in August.
It is a one-off scheme and will not be repeated in 2024.
Government bill may pass to permanently ease work permit rules
A government bill to permanently change the minimum wage criteria in a key work permit scheme could be voted through in March.
The government says the bill, which will permanently reduce the minimum wage required under the Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordning), will make it easier for companies to recruit skilled workers from non-EU countries.
Last year saw a majority in parliament pledge to support a proposal to reduce the Pay Limit scheme from 448,000 kroner per year to 375,000 kroner per year for three years. The proposal was never passed into law because Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called an election before it was voted on in parliament.
The new government proposal makes the reduction permanent.
READ ALSO: How can you get a work permit in Denmark if you are not an EU national?
Switch to summertime means light evenings are back
The change to GMT+2 or summertime on Sunday, March 26th means an end to dark evenings for another season. Clocks go forward by one hour at 3am on the 26th, meaning one hour less of sleep that weekend to offset the change.
Politicians in Denmark and the EU have in recent years discussed scrapping the twice-yearly changing of the clocks for daylight saving, but it continues for the time being at least.
Tivoli Gardens opens for its spring/summer season
As the winter days start to fade, Tivoli in Copenhagen reopens. You have to wait for the end of the month on Friday 31st March but it will remain open until 24th September. There's a special Easter theme, complete with lambs from 31st March to 10th April.
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See Also
- Five essential words you need when paying taxes in Denmark
- Three things to know about Denmark’s ‘forskudsopgørelse’ preliminary tax return
- Årsopgørelse: What you need to know about Denmark’s annual tax return
Tariffs were increased last year because the companies said they had a backlog of additional costs that they wished to trim.
Money raised from tariffs goes toward the cost of maintaining the electric grid and transporting energy to consumers.
The average tariff for customers in Radius’s area — Copenhagen, North Zealand and parts of Central Zealand — should drop by 18 percent from March, while the rest of Zealand will see their tariffs fall an average of 20 percent.
New inflation package for low income families replaces subsidy scheme
The government has agreed on a package providing financial help to 40,500 young families in Denmark.
A recent winter inflation spending plan designated 300 million kroner for the purpose of assisting families who are struggling to cover costs as a result of inflation.
It replaces a previous subsidy for families with children, known as børnetilskud, which expires on March 1st. Families who received the old subsidy will qualify for the new one, the government said.
The money will be paid out in two instalments, the first by the end of June and the second in August.
It is a one-off scheme and will not be repeated in 2024.
Government bill may pass to permanently ease work permit rules
A government bill to permanently change the minimum wage criteria in a key work permit scheme could be voted through in March.
The government says the bill, which will permanently reduce the minimum wage required under the Pay Limit Scheme (Beløbsordning), will make it easier for companies to recruit skilled workers from non-EU countries.
Last year saw a majority in parliament pledge to support a proposal to reduce the Pay Limit scheme from 448,000 kroner per year to 375,000 kroner per year for three years. The proposal was never passed into law because Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called an election before it was voted on in parliament.
The new government proposal makes the reduction permanent.
READ ALSO: How can you get a work permit in Denmark if you are not an EU national?
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