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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Sophie McCoid

Martin Lewis explains how married couples could be owed thousands

Martin Lewis has revealed millions of married couples could be owed thousands of pounds.

Couples are being urged to claim the marriage tax allowance, before the April 5 deadline.

The marriage tax allowance allows you to transfer £1,250 of the amount you can earn tax-free each tax year to your spouse or civil partner, if they earn more than you.

The tax break is worth £250 this tax year, but you can claim back up to four tax years, as long as you were eligible during that time, meaning you could be owed over £1,000.

Married couples could be owed thousands (Liverpool Echo)

You will get up to £250 for this year, then £212 for 2015/16, £220 for 2016/17, £230 for 2017/18 and £238 for 2018/19.

That is up to £1,150 if you apply before April 5.

And as the allowance started in 2015/16, if you don't claim it by this April, you'll lose that first year warned Martin.

The allowance applies only to those who are married or civil partners, where one is a non-taxpayer and the other a basic-rate taxpayer.

You also have to fill the below criteria:

  • You're married or in a civil partnership (just living together doesn't count)
  • One of you needs to be a non-taxpayer, which in the UK and Scotland usually means earning less than the £12,500 personal allowance between 6 April 2019 and 5 April 2020
  • The other partner needs to be a basic 20% rate taxpayer (higher or additional-rate taxpayers aren't eligible for this allowance). This means you'd normally need to earn less than £50,000 or if you live in Scotland, £43,430
  • You both must have been born on or after April 6, 1935

To apply, use the application at HMRC. You'll need both your national insurance numbers and a form of ID for the non-taxpayer.

Or call 0300 200 3300 and do it by phone.

It's the non-taxpayer who must apply to transfer their allowance.

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