The Marriage Allowance if circumstances change

Married couples and civil partners could save up to £252 a year by transferring part of one partner’s unused personal allowance to the other, but you may need to cancel the claim if your income or relationship status changes.

The Marriage Allowance applies to married couples and civil partners where one partner does not pay tax or does not pay tax above the basic rate threshold for Income Tax (i.e., one partner must earn less than the £12,570 personal allowance for 2025-26).

The allowance allows the lower-earning partner to transfer up to £1,260 of their unused personal tax-free allowance to their spouse or civil partner. The transfer can only be made if the recipient (the higher-earning partner) is taxed at the basic 20% rate, which typically means they have an income between £12,571 and £50,270. For those living in Scotland, this would usually apply to an income between £12,571 and £43,662.

By using the allowance, the lower-earning partner can transfer up to £1,260 of their unused personal allowance, which could result in an annual tax saving of up to £252 for the recipient (20% of £1,260).

However, it is important to be aware you must cancel the Marriage Allowance if your circumstances change and any of the following apply:

• your relationship ends – because you have divorced, ended (‘dissolved’) your civil partnership or legally separated;
• your income changes and you are no longer eligible; or
• you no longer want to claim.