Marriage Allowance Calculator (UK)
If you're married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns less than the Personal Allowance, you could save £252 per year through Marriage Allowance - yet millions of eligible couples haven't claimed.
Marriage Allowance is one of the simplest tax reliefs available to UK couples, but it's often overlooked. The scheme allows a lower-earning spouse or civil partner to transfer £1,260 of their unused Personal Allowance to their partner, reducing the household tax bill by £252 annually. For couples who've been eligible since the scheme launched in 2015, backdated claims can exceed £1,000.
This calculator helps you quickly determine whether you qualify based on your combined incomes. The key requirement is straightforward: one partner must earn below £12,570 (the Personal Allowance), while the other must be a basic rate taxpayer—earning between £12,571 and £50,270. Higher and additional rate taxpayers don't qualify, as the relief is designed for modest-income households.
A common misconception is that both partners need to be working. In fact, Marriage Allowance is particularly valuable when one partner doesn't work at all, has a small part-time income, or is on parental leave. As long as the higher earner pays basic rate tax, the couple qualifies—making this a valuable tool for families with young children or couples where one partner is studying or between jobs.
Check Your Eligibility
Gross annual salary before tax
Gross annual salary before tax
What this means for your household
Marriage Allowance is worth £252 per year, and you can backdate up to 4 tax years for an extra ~£1,000 lump sum. The rules are simple: one partner earns under £12,570 (the Personal Allowance), the other is a basic-rate taxpayer (£12,571–£50,270). Higher and additional-rate earners are excluded.
It's one of the most under-claimed reliefs in the UK — only the higher earner gets the actual tax saving, but both partners need to apply. Once set up, it rolls over each year automatically until your circumstances change, so it's truly "claim once, benefit annually".
Who Is Eligible for Marriage Allowance?
Marriage Allowance is available to married couples and civil partners where one person earns less than the Personal Allowance (£12,570 in 2026/27) and their partner is a basic rate taxpayer. The basic rate band covers incomes from £12,571 to £50,270.
The lower-earning partner transfers 10% of their unused Personal Allowance (£1,260) to their spouse or civil partner. This isn't a cash transfer—it simply increases the recipient's tax-free allowance, reducing their income tax bill.
You cannot claim if: the higher earner pays tax at the higher rate (40%) or additional rate (45%), either partner was born before 6 April 1935 (you may qualify for Married Couple's Allowance instead), or you're not married or in a civil partnership.
How Much Is Marriage Allowance Worth?
Marriage Allowance saves couples £252 per year in the 2026/27 tax year. This equals £21 per month or about £4.85 per week. While modest, it's a straightforward saving that requires no ongoing effort once set up.
The real value comes from backdating. If you've been eligible but haven't claimed, you can backdate your claim for up to 4 previous tax years. This could mean a lump sum payment of over £1,000 arriving as a cheque from HMRC.
Potential Backdated Savings
- • 2026/27 (current year): £252
- • 2025/26: £252
- • 2024/25: £252
- • 2023/24: £252
- • 2022/23 (earliest backdatable year): £252
- • Total possible: £1,260 (£1,008 backdated)
How to Claim Marriage Allowance
Claiming Marriage Allowance is straightforward and can be done online in about 10 minutes. The lower-earning partner (the one transferring the allowance) needs to make the application through the HMRC website.
What You'll Need
- • Both partners' National Insurance numbers
- • Proof of identity (passport, driving licence, or payslip details)
- • Your partner's date of birth
- • About 10 minutes to complete the application
Once approved, HMRC updates both partners' tax codes automatically. The recipient's employer will adjust their PAYE deductions, so they'll see slightly higher take-home pay each month. The arrangement continues until you cancel it or your circumstances change.
Important: If either partner dies, the surviving partner can still claim Marriage Allowance for the year of death, and can also backdate claims for previous years if eligible.
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