{"id":95,"date":"2026-08-28T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/payslp.com\/blog\/?p=95"},"modified":"2026-07-04T17:48:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-04T17:48:25","slug":"marriage-allowance-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/payslp.com\/blog\/guides\/marriage-allowance-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Marriage Allowance Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marriage Allowance is one of the most under-claimed tax reliefs in the UK \u2014 worth roughly \u00a3252 a year, and available to more couples than actually use it.<\/p>\n

Who qualifies<\/h2>\n

You need to be married or in a civil partnership, with one partner earning below the \u00a312,570 Personal Allowance and the other a basic-rate taxpayer. The lower earner transfers 10% of their unused allowance \u2014 \u00a31,260 in 2026\/27 \u2014 to their partner.<\/p>\n

What it’s actually worth<\/h2>\n

That \u00a31,260 of extra tax-free allowance saves the receiving partner 20% of it \u2014 \u00a3252 a year \u2014 for as long as the couple remains eligible.<\/p>\n

Easy to miss<\/h2>\n

Because it requires an active application through HMRC rather than being applied automatically, a genuinely large number of eligible couples simply never claim it. You can also backdate a claim up to four tax years if you were eligible but never applied.<\/p>\n

See exactly how it changes your take-home with the Payslp salary calculator<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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How to actually claim it<\/h2>\n

Apply directly through gov.uk \u2014 it takes a few minutes online, and once approved, it typically stays in place automatically for future tax years until you cancel it or your circumstances change.<\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n

Can I backdate a claim?<\/strong>
\nYes, up to four tax years, if you were eligible throughout but never applied.<\/p>\n

What if we divorce or separate?<\/strong>
\nYou need to cancel the transfer \u2014 it doesn’t end automatically, and continuing to claim after you’re no longer eligible can result in having to repay it.<\/p>\n

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Related reading<\/h2>\n