Marriage Allowance: Claim £252/Year in Free Tax Savings

You can claim Marriage Allowance if you're married or in a civil partnership (just living together doesn't qualify), one partner has income below £12,570 (the Personal Allowance), and the other partner is a basic rate taxpayer (income between £12,571 and £50,270). The lower-earning partner transfers £1,260 of their unused Personal Allowance to the higher earner, reducing the higher earner's tax by £252/year. Common qualifying situations include: one partner is a stay-at-home parent, one partner works part-time, one partner is on maternity/paternity leave, or one partner is retired with a small pension.

The lower-earning partner needs to apply on GOV.UK. You'll need both partners' National Insurance numbers and the lower earner's Government Gateway login (or they can create one during the process). The application takes about 10 minutes. Once approved, HMRC adjusts the higher earner's tax code so they pay less tax automatically through PAYE. If the higher earner is self-employed, the saving comes through their Self Assessment return. You only need to apply once — it continues automatically each year until you cancel it.

You can backdate Marriage Allowance claims for up to 4 years. If you've been eligible since 2022/23 and haven't claimed, you could receive a lump sum of up to £1,242 (4 years × average £252 plus any rate variations). HMRC pays the backdated amount as a one-off refund to the higher-earning partner, usually within 4-6 weeks. Going forward, the saving is applied through the monthly tax code. This backdating makes claiming even more worthwhile — a quick 10-minute application could put over £1,000 in your pocket.

Marriage Allowance doesn't apply if neither partner earns below £12,570, the higher earner is a higher or additional rate taxpayer (above £50,270), or you're not married or in a civil partnership. If the higher earner is just above the basic rate threshold, the transfer could push them below it and the saving would be reduced. Also note: if your circumstances change (the lower earner starts earning above £12,570, or the higher earner enters the higher rate band), you should cancel the Marriage Allowance to avoid potential underpayment of tax.

Marriage Allowance claims are completely free to make directly through GOV.UK. However, some companies charge fees (sometimes £30-£50+) to submit the claim on your behalf — essentially charging you for a 10-minute process that costs nothing to do yourself. Never pay someone to claim Marriage Allowance. If you see adverts or receive texts about 'tax rebates' from companies you don't recognise, these are often firms that take a cut of your legitimate free claim. Go directly to GOV.UK to apply.