Over the past year over a million Danes have taken advantage of the BoligJob initiative which allows people to deduct up to 15,000 kroner from their taxes for handywork done on their homes.
The popularity of the initiative has not only increased the number of jobs in the industry, but has also curtailed the use of undeclared work, according to 68 percent of Danish construction firms.
Frank Korsholm is departmental head for the tradesman council Håndværksrådet. “The difference in what declared and undeclared work costs has been reduced thanks to the tradesman-deduction, he said to Metroxpress, "and people are choosing the legal solution.”
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Politicians wavering
That statement is backed up by a recent report from the national statistics keeper, Danmarks Statistik, which indicated that the number of people who admit to having performed undeclared work has dropped by 27 percent in just one year.
But despite the encouraging figures, the government has been reluctant to extend the BoligJob initiative, which is due to expire at the end of 2014.
Politicians have called for more objective information and further statistics concerning the initiative’s effect on employment and undeclared work.
