The marriage tax allowance deadline is looming - here’s how much money you could get back

Married couples are being encouraged to apply for a tax break that applies to them before the end of the current tax year. Those eligible will lose out on money if they miss the deadline. What is the marriage tax allowance? The Marriage Allowance was first introduced in 2015, and applies to couples where one is a basic-rate taxpayer (earning less than £50,000 a year) and the other is a non-taxpayer (earning less than £12,500). This tax allowance enables couples to transfer 10 per cent of their personal allowance, which is the amount you can earn tax-free each tax year, between them in order to reduce their yearly tax bill. How much money could I get back? This year you would save £250, but as you can backdate your claim for four years, your application could see you get up to £1,150 back. This tax perk was worth £212 when it was first introduced in 2015 and it was worth £220 the following tax year. It was worth £230 for the 2017/2018 year and £238 for the last tax year. Who can claim the Marriage Allowance? In order to be able to claim the tax break you need to tick all of the following boxes: You’re married or in a civil partnershipYour income is £12,500 or less. This includes people who don’t work.Your partner’s income is between £12,500 and £50,000 (or £43,430 if you’re in Scotland) Who can’t claim it? You can’t claim the allowance if: You and your partner live together but aren’t marriedYou were born before 6 April 1935. When is the deadline? As soon as the new tax year kicks in on 6 April, you will only be able to make a claim from the tax year starting 6 April 2016. If you fail to claim before 5 April, you will then miss out on the £212 that you could previously claim for the 2015/2016 tax year. How do I apply? You can only apply if you are the non-taxpayer, or lower earner, in the marriage or civil partnership. To apply you will need to fill out the form on the GOV.UK website using both you and your partner’s national insurance numbers and a form of ID. Any backdated money owed to you will be calculated automatically, and then sent to you as a cheque. Call the HMRC helpline on 03000 200 3300 if you need any help applying. Note: If your partner has died since 5 April 2015 you can still claim on their behalf by phoning the HMRC helpline number.