Marriage Allowance Calculator
Enter both incomes to see whether Marriage Allowance applies, how much tax you’d save this year, and what a backdated claim could be worth.
How it works
Marriage Allowance lets the lower earner in a marriage or civil partnership transfer £1,260 of their personal allowance (10% of £12,570) to their partner. The recipient’s tax bill falls by 20% of the transferred amount — up to £252 a year.
It only pays off when the lower earner isn’t using all of their allowance and the higher earner pays basic-rate tax — income between £12,571 and £50,270 (different bands apply to Scottish taxpayers). If the higher earner pays 40% tax, you cannot claim.
If the lower earner’s income is above £11,310 (the reduced allowance after transfer), part of the saving is clawed back as their own tax rises — the calculator nets this off. Claims can be backdated up to 4 tax years, so a first claim can be worth over £1,000.
FAQ
Who qualifies for Marriage Allowance?
You must be married or in a civil partnership (living together as a couple is not enough), the lower earner must normally have income below the £12,570 personal allowance, and the higher earner must be a basic-rate taxpayer with income between £12,571 and £50,270. Couples where either partner was born before 6 April 1935 should look at Married Couple’s Allowance instead, which is usually worth more.
How much is Marriage Allowance worth?
Up to £252 per tax year: £1,260 of allowance transferred × the 20% basic rate. Because claims can be backdated up to 4 tax years, a couple claiming for the first time can receive a lump-sum refund of £1,000 or more for past years plus the ongoing annual saving. The claim continues automatically each year until you cancel it or your circumstances change.
How do I apply for Marriage Allowance?
Apply free on gov.uk — the LOWER earner makes the application, using their Government Gateway account, National Insurance numbers for both partners and ID. HMRC then adjusts the recipient’s tax code (usually to an “M” suffix code) or their Self Assessment. Avoid third-party websites that charge a fee or take a cut of the refund; the official claim costs nothing.
What if the lower earner has some income above £11,310?
The transfer is all-or-nothing (£1,260), so after transferring, the lower earner’s own allowance drops to £11,310 and income above that becomes taxable at 20%. The couple still gains overall as long as the lower earner’s income is below £12,570 — the recipient’s £252 saving simply shrinks by the extra tax the transferor pays. This calculator shows the net household saving.