Tax Saving

Marriage Allowance UK: Claim Up to £1,260 in Tax Relief as a Couple

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Marriage Allowance is a tax break for married couples and civil partners where one partner earns below the Personal Allowance threshold. It's free money — yet an estimated 2.4 million eligible couples haven't claimed it. If you qualify, you can get up to £252/year, and you can backdate claims for four years, meaning up to £1,260 in one go.

Who Qualifies for Marriage Allowance?

You qualify if: (1) you're married or in a civil partnership, (2) one partner earns less than the Personal Allowance (£12,570 in 2025/26), (3) the other partner is a basic-rate taxpayer earning between £12,571 and £50,270. The lower-earning partner must have income low enough that they don't use their full Personal Allowance. This includes those not working, part-time workers, and people with small incomes from savings or property.

How Much Can You Claim?

The lower-earning partner can transfer up to 10% of their Personal Allowance — currently £1,260 — to their spouse. At the basic rate of 20%, this saves the higher-earning partner: £1,260 × 20% = £252 in income tax per year. You can backdate claims to April 2021, potentially recovering £1,000+ in overpaid tax. Claims are processed by HMRC, who either issue a cheque or adjust your tax code.
  • •Annual saving: up to £252 per tax year
  • •Backdatable to: April 2021 (4 tax years)
  • •Maximum backdated refund: up to £1,260
  • •Applied via: HMRC online account or phone

How to Claim Marriage Allowance

The lower-earning partner must apply — the allowance is transferred FROM them TO their spouse. Apply online at gov.uk/marriage-allowance — you'll need your National Insurance number, your partner's NI number, and a Government Gateway account. The whole process takes about 10 minutes. Once set up, the allowance renews automatically each tax year until your circumstances change.
Can we claim if one partner has no income?+

Yes — if one partner has zero income, they have an unused Personal Allowance of £12,570. They can transfer £1,260 of it to the working partner, saving £252/year.

What if we separate or divorce after claiming?+

You should notify HMRC immediately if you separate, as the allowance is specific to the marriage or civil partnership. It will be removed from the tax year in which you separated.

Marriage Allowance vs Married Couple's Allowance

Don't confuse these. Marriage Allowance is the modern scheme (from 2015) available to most married couples. Married Couple's Allowance is a separate, older scheme only available when one partner was born before 6 April 1935. You can't claim both simultaneously. If you qualify for Married Couple's Allowance, it's worth more than Marriage Allowance — worth checking with HMRC if either partner is in their 90s.
#marriage allowance#tax relief UK#HMRC#couples finances#income tax

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