SINGAPORE - A total of $9.8 billion was collected in personal income tax from the top 20 per cent of taxpayers in the 2017 year of assessment, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat on Tuesday (Jan 9).

This figure, based on income earned in 2016, has more than doubled over the last decade from $4.3 billion in the 2007 year of assessment.

In a written reply to a parliamentary question filed by Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio GRC), Mr Heng said: "This is due to both an increase in the number of taxpayers, and higher amounts collected from each taxpayer on average."

He added that these trends in tax revenue changes were generally seen across all age groups within the top 20 per cent of taxpayers.