Marriage Allowance Eligibility Check (UK 2026/27)
If you are married or in a civil partnership and one of you earns under £12,570, you can transfer £1,260 of personal allowance to the higher earner — saving up to £252 a year. Around 2 million eligible UK couples never claim it.
How Marriage Allowance works
The personal allowance for 2026/27 is £12,570 — this is the slice of income you can earn before paying any income tax. If you earn less than that, your allowance is partly going unused. Marriage Allowance lets you transfer £1,260 of it to your spouse or civil partner if they are a basic-rate taxpayer, saving them 20% × £1,260 = up to £252 a year.
Backdating up to 4 years
HMRC normally allow Marriage Allowance to be backdated to 6 April 2022 if you were eligible in earlier tax years. That can be worth up to £1,000+ in cumulative savings — paid as a refund.
FAQs
Should I use a Marriage Allowance "claim agent"?
No. Apply directly at gov.uk/marriage-allowance. It is free, takes about 5 minutes, and HMRC do all the work. Third-party agents charge a percentage of your refund for filling in a form you can fill in yourself.
Does it work for civil partnerships?
Yes — Marriage Allowance applies to married couples and civil partners equally.
Disclaimer: Eligibility check based on UK 2026/27 thresholds (personal allowance £12,570, basic rate band ending £50,270). Always confirm your eligibility on your HMRC personal tax account or with a qualified adviser before claiming.