The Marriage Allowance lets a lower-earning spouse or civil partner transfer £1,260 of their unused Personal Allowance to their partner, saving the couple up to £252/year in income tax. Eligibility: one partner earns below £12,570 (their allowance is unused), the other is a basic-rate taxpayer (income £12,570-£50,270). The receiving partner cannot be a higher-rate taxpayer. It can be backdated up to four tax years — potentially worth over £1,000 as a one-off payment for eligible couples who've never claimed.
The Marriage Allowance is one of the most consistently under-claimed tax reliefs in the UK — HMRC estimates hundreds of thousands of eligible couples have never applied. The reason isn't usually deliberate avoidance of a free benefit; it's simply that no one ever explained that it exists. Here's what it is, who qualifies, and how to claim it.
How It Works
When one partner in a marriage or civil partnership earns below the Personal Allowance (£12,570), some or all of their tax-free allowance is going unused. The Marriage Allowance allows that lower earner to transfer up to £1,260 of their unused allowance to their partner.
The receiving partner gets a tax credit of 20% on the transferred £1,260 = £252 per year. It's not a reduction in their income — it's a credit against their tax bill. As long as conditions are met year after year, the saving repeats annually.
Eligibility Conditions
Both conditions must apply simultaneously:
- One partner's income is below the Personal Allowance of £12,570. They may be: not working; part-time with low wages; on maternity/paternity leave; a student; retired on a low pension; or have income below this threshold for any other reason.
- The other partner is a basic-rate taxpayer — income between £12,570 and £50,270. If the receiving partner is a higher-rate or additional-rate taxpayer, the Marriage Allowance does not apply.
Backdating: The Lump Sum Opportunity
Claims can be backdated up to four tax years. If you were eligible in 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25, and 2025/26 but never claimed, you can receive the full four years as a lump sum. At £252/year, four years = £1,008.
Eligible years from 2026/27 looking back:
- 2022/23: deadline 5 April 2027
- 2023/24: deadline 5 April 2028
- 2024/25: deadline 5 April 2029
- 2025/26: deadline 5 April 2030
How to Apply
Apply online at gov.uk/marriage-allowance — it takes about 10 minutes. You'll need both partners' National Insurance numbers. The lower earner initiates the transfer. HMRC changes both partners' tax codes to implement the allowance.
What the Marriage Allowance Is Not
Don't confuse the Marriage Allowance with the Married Couple's Allowance, a separate and older relief worth up to £1,170 in 2026/27 but available only where one partner was born before 6 April 1935. This applies to a very small number of couples. The Marriage Allowance is the relevant one for most people.
For the broader range of tax benefits available to married couples and civil partners — including CGT transfers and inheritance tax implications — see our article on marriage and cohabitation tax benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can same-sex couples claim the Marriage Allowance?
Yes — civil partners have exactly the same rights as married couples for the Marriage Allowance. Civil partnerships receive full equal treatment.
What if the lower earner gets a pay rise and exceeds £12,570?
If the lower earner's income exceeds the Personal Allowance, the transfer should be cancelled. You can do this through HMRC online. Continuing to claim when no longer eligible results in a tax bill for the incorrectly claimed amount.
Apply for the Marriage Allowance at gov.uk/marriage-allowance.
