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Marriage Allowance lets you transfer £1,260 of your Personal Allowance to your husband, wife or civil partner.
This reduces their tax by up to £252 in the tax year (6 April to 5 April the next year).
This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).
To benefit as a couple, you (as the lower earner) must normally have an income below your Personal Allowance – this is usually £12,570.
You can calculate how much tax you could save as a couple. You should call the Income Tax helpline instead if you receive other income such as dividends, savings or benefits from your job. You can also call if you do not know what your taxable income is.
When you transfer some of your Personal Allowance to your husband, wife or civil partner you might have to pay more tax yourself, but you could still pay less as a couple.
Your income is £11,500 and your Personal Allowance is £12,570, so you do not pay tax.
Your partner’s income is £20,000 and their Personal Allowance is £12,570, so they pay tax on £7,430 (their ‘taxable income’). This means as a couple you are paying Income Tax on £7,430.
When you claim Marriage Allowance you transfer £1,260 of your Personal Allowance to your partner. Your Personal Allowance becomes £11,310 and your partner gets a ‘tax credit’ on £1,260 of their taxable income.
This means you will now pay tax on £190, but your partner will only pay tax on £6,170. As a couple you benefit, as you are only paying Income Tax on £6,360 rather than £7,430, which saves you £214 in tax.