Claiming a Marriage Allowance Refund: All You Need to Know

If you are a wedded couple, you might not know about your marriage allowance. First introduced in April 2015, it basically allows for the sharing of your personal allowance with your partner. Claims for the marriage allowance can be backdated for up to four years, so you can try to get your refund today.

If you want to learn more about what a marriage allowance is and why you would need to get an allowance refund, here is a short guide on everything you need to know about the subject.

What Is a Marriage Allowance?

As mentioned earlier, the marriage allowance permits any spouse to share their personal allowance with their partner. To be more specific, it will let you transfer 10 per cent of your personal allowance to them, while 20 per cent will be given as a reduction in the tax bill.

You could save up to £252 in tax as a couple because of this marriage allowance. Of course, qualifications need to be met in order for you to get this benefit.

Why Do I Get a Marriage Allowance Refund?

Because it was introduced in 2015, you can claim to transfer your personal allowances for 2017, 2018 and the succeeding tax years, even if you didn’t do so at the time of its iteration. Do note that you can no longer claim for tax years 2015, 2016 and 2017.

You can only get the full benefits of the tax if the one giving their allowance is not using it and the recipient with the tax reduction can use it. You can make the following tax savings in the permittable tax years:

• For the tax year 2020/21 and 2019/20: £12,500 allowance will allow £1,250 to be transferred, saving you a maximum of £250 on tax.
• For the tax year 2018/19: £11,850 allowance will allow an estimate of £1,190 to be transferred, saving you a maximum of £250 on tax.
• For the tax year 2017/18: £11,500 allowance will allow £1,150 to be transferred, saving you a maximum of £230 on tax.

There is a set criterion given for each tax year, and you must meet it annually. If you will get a refund for a specific year, you must follow the criteria set specifically for that year.

How Do I Claim This?

You can claim your refund online through GOV.UK. You will be asked to provide certain information, such as the National Insurance number of your spouse or civil partner. This is simply to prove your identity.

If claiming online is not possible, you can also do this through the phone. Just call the HMRC at 0300 200 3300 or even mail them to make a claim. You can also work with organisations to make the claim for you. 

For claims dating back to 2017/18, you have until 5 April 2022. For claims in 2021/22, you have until 5 April 2026 to make the claims.

Conclusion

If you think you qualify for a marriage allowance refund, there is no time to waste. Contact the HMRC today to see whether you meet the requirements.

Check your marriage allowance eligibility through Tax Refund Calculator. We provide resources to help you get your HMRC marriage tax refund with our eligibility check. Try it now for free on our website.