Fill in the figures, then click Check Marriage Allowance.
Result
The numbers
| Item | Amount |
|---|
What to do
| Step | What it means |
|---|
What it does, and what it leaves to you
- Covers: the Marriage Allowance transfer of £1,260 of personal allowance for 2025/26 and 2026/27, the eligibility limits, the cost to a lower earner above £11,310 and the value of backdating.
- Gives: whether you qualify and why, the net yearly saving, the total across the years you can claim and a short claim checklist.
- Not decided: Married Couple's Allowance, the Blind Person's Allowance, different incomes in earlier years, savings and dividend income, Scottish rates in detail, and anything that changed after this was written.
Common questions
What is Marriage Allowance?
If you are married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns less than the personal allowance, that person can give up £1,260 of their allowance to the other, which cuts the other's tax by up to £252 a year.
Who qualifies?
You must be married or in a civil partnership. The lower earner's income must be at or below the £12,570 personal allowance, and the higher earner must pay tax at no more than the basic rate: up to £50,270 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a lower figure in Scotland.
Can I backdate a claim?
Yes. You can claim for the current tax year and up to four earlier tax years in which you were both eligible. Backdated years are normally paid to the higher earner as a refund.
Does the lower earner lose anything?
Only if their income is above £11,310. Between £11,310 and £12,570 they use part of the allowance they give away, so the saving shrinks. At £12,570 it falls to nothing.
How do I claim, and does it cost anything?
The lower earner applies on GOV.UK in a few minutes. It is free. Anyone charging a fee to claim Marriage Allowance for you is not needed.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is sent.