Are we paying more tax than we need to as a couple?
2.4 million couples never claim Marriage Allowance, worth £1,260 backdated. Beyond that, savings and property held in the wrong name cost couples more again. Seven questions.
Why this exists: 2.4m couples not claiming · £1,260 each. Typically £252–£2,000 a year.
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Rates as at 6 April 2026 — the 2026/27 tax year.
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The rules behind this
Every figure above comes from one of these. Where the tool has interpreted rather than calculated, it says so in the finding.
A spouse or civil partner may transfer 10% of the personal allowance where the recipient pays no more than basic rate.
Transfers between spouses living together are on a no gain, no loss basis for capital gains tax.
Jointly held property of a married couple is taxed 50/50 unless a declaration of beneficial interests is made on form 17.
The personal savings allowance is £1,000 at basic rate, £500 at higher rate and nil at additional rate.
The High Income Child Benefit Charge falls on the partner with the higher adjusted net income, married or not.
Questions people ask
Which of us applies for Marriage Allowance?
The one with the lower income, because they are the one giving up part of their allowance. Applying the other way round is rejected, and it is the most common reason a claim fails.
Is moving savings into my partner's name allowed?
Yes, between spouses and civil partners it is entirely ordinary and there is no tax on the transfer. It has to be a real gift though — the money becomes theirs, which is the part worth thinking about before the tax.
Can we just split rental profit however we like?
No. A married couple is taxed 50/50 on jointly held property by default, and to change it you must actually change the beneficial ownership and file form 17 within 60 days. The declaration has to match reality.
We are not married. Does any of this apply?
The reliefs do not — Marriage Allowance, tax-free transfers and the shared nil-rate band all need a legal partnership. The Child Benefit charge does apply to unmarried couples living together, which is the system treating you as a household for the charge and as strangers for the reliefs.
How far back can we claim?
Four tax years for Marriage Allowance, and the oldest year drops off every 5 April. Claiming now for five years at once is common, and it is why a first claim is usually worth over £1,000 rather than £252.