Money guide
Marriage Allowance: the easiest £252 you'll ever claim
Of all the money left unclaimed in the UK, this is the one that annoys me most — because it takes ten minutes, it's free, and hundreds of thousands of eligible couples still haven't done it.
What it is
Everyone gets a Personal Allowance of £12,570 they can earn tax-free. If you earn less than that, some of it goes to waste. Marriage Allowance lets you transfer £1,257 of it to your husband, wife or civil partner — which saves them 20% of that in tax, or £252 a year.
Do you qualify?
Three conditions, all of which must apply:
- You're married or in a civil partnership (living together doesn't count — this one is genuinely restricted).
- One of you earns under £12,570 — part-time work, a career break, caring, studying, or retirement on a small pension.
- The other is a basic-rate taxpayer, roughly £12,571 to £50,270.
If the higher earner is a higher-rate taxpayer, you can't claim.
How to claim
Go to gov.uk/apply-marriage-allowance. The lower earner makes the claim. You'll need both National Insurance numbers and a form of ID. It takes about ten minutes, and once granted it renews automatically each year.
The trap: don't pay anyone to do this
Search for "marriage allowance" and you'll find companies offering to claim on your behalf. They take a substantial percentage of your refund — sometimes 40% or more — for completing a free form. Some use deeds of assignment that route all future tax refunds through them. It is free at gov.uk. Never pay for it.
What else might you be missing? →A one-minute check across the most-missed UK support.Two things worth knowing
If your circumstances change — a separation, or the lower earner's income rising above the Personal Allowance — you should cancel it, or you could end up owing tax back.
And if you were widowed, you can still claim for years when you were both eligible. It's a small kindness in the rules that almost nobody knows about.
Quick answers
How much is Marriage Allowance worth?
£252 a year for 2026/27. You can also backdate up to four tax years, so a first claim can be worth over £1,200 as a lump sum.
Who qualifies for Marriage Allowance?
Married couples and civil partners where one partner earns under the £12,570 Personal Allowance and the other is a basic-rate taxpayer (earning roughly £12,571 to £50,270).
Do I have to pay to claim Marriage Allowance?
No. It is free at gov.uk. Agencies that offer to claim for you take a large cut of your refund for filling in a form you can complete in about ten minutes.
Can I claim if my partner has died?
Yes — claims can still be made for earlier years if you were eligible at the time.
Written in plain English by mytakehome.money. General information, not financial advice — check anything important at gov.uk or with a qualified adviser.