Marriage Allowance Calculator guide
Marriage Allowance Calculator: Save Up to £252 a Year
Use our Marriage Allowance calculator to check if you and your spouse or civil partner can transfer Personal Allowance and save tax, including backdated years.
By the AllCalculator editorial teamUpdated 16 October 20261 min read
Marriage Allowance is a little-known tax break worth up to £252 a year for married couples and civil partners. Our Marriage Allowance Calculator checks whether you qualify.
How to use the calculator (Marriage Allowance Calculator)
- Enter the lower earner's yearly income.
- Enter the higher earner's yearly income.
- Choose where the higher earner lives.
Who can claim
- You're married or in a civil partnership.
- The lower earner has income below the Personal Allowance (£12,570).
- The higher earner pays basic rate tax (or starter, basic or intermediate rate in Scotland).
How it works
The lower earner transfers £1,260 of their Personal Allowance to their partner. That reduces the partner's tax by 20% of £1,260 = £252 a year.
A worked example
With the calculator's default settings, a couple earning £9,000 and £38,000 qualify. They save £252 a year, and could backdate the claim for up to 4 earlier years, worth up to £1,008 more.
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply?
Free on GOV.UK. You don't need to use a company that charges a fee.
Does it carry on each year?
Yes, until one of you cancels it or your circumstances change.
What if we're not married?
Unmarried couples can't claim, even if they live together.
To see your own tax, use our Income Tax Calculator.
Sources and further reading
Links open official and independent websites in a new tab.
This guide is general information to help you understand your options. It isn't financial, tax, legal or building advice and doesn't take your personal circumstances into account. Figures were checked when the guide was last updated and can change, so confirm anything important with GOV.UK, HMRC, a regulated adviser or a qualified tradesperson.