Martin Lewis has issued an urgent warning to married couples and civil partners who could be missing out on a tax break worth up to £1,260 — with a crucial April 5 deadline fast approaching.
The Money Saving Expert founder Lewis has said nearly two million eligible couples could be due the Marriage Allowance, a move that could put hundreds - or even more than a thousand pounds - back into their pockets from HMRC.
This reduces their tax by up to £252 in the tax year (6 April to 5 April the next year), but couples can also backdate claims to the 2021/22 tax year, meaning some households could receive a lump sum of up to £1,260.
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How to claim before it’s too late
For the current tax year, couples can apply online via GOV.UK . However, HMRC says you can backdate your claim to 6 April 2021 (the 2021 to 2022 tax year) for any years you were eligible for Marriage Allowance using form MATCF on their website.
If your partner has since died, you can backdate your claim by calling the Income Tax helpline .
If you’re not backdating your claim, the quickest way to apply for Marriage Allowance is online.
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Who can claim Marriage Allowance?
Marriage Allowance is available when one partner earns less than the Personal Allowance, while the other is a basic-rate taxpayer.
Lewis has published four key eligibility checks on the MoneySavingExpert website and urged couples not to assume they don’t qualify.
“People wrongly think this doesn’t apply to them,” he said. “Check it — because once April 5 passes, that money is gone forever.”
Lewis stressed that timing is critical. “You’ve got time — but do it now,” he warned, explaining that HMRC must receive claims by April 5, not just have them sent.
Full details and claim forms are available on GOV.UK.
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