Income tax personal allowances

The personal allowance is the level above which income tax is levied on an individual's annual income. The personal allowance and blind person's allowance are deducted from net income to save tax at the highest rate.

For those taxed under Pay As You Earn (PAYE), generally the benefit of the personal allowance is spread throughout the year. For a self-employed person, the personal allowance is taken into account through their self-assessment tax return when the tax bill for the year is worked out.

Note that the Scottish Parliament has the power to set the Scottish rate of income tax (SRIT) which applies to non-savings and non-dividend income. This comprises earnings, pensions, taxable social security payments, trading profits and income from property. The personal allowance and thresholds on taxes on savings and dividends remain a UK ‘reserved’ matter. From April 2019, the Welsh Government also has the power to set income tax rates applicable to non-savings and non-dividend income to those defined as Welsh taxpayers. Again, reliefs and allowances, such as Personal Allowance, are not devolved and remain set by the UK government.

Find out more about the dividend allowance and personal savings allowance in our article Individual rates and order of taxation.

Married couples and civil partners can apply to transfer 10% of the income tax personal allowance from one to the other. The term marriage ‘allowance’ is inaccurate as it is a transfer rather than an additional allowance.

To qualify, neither of the partners can be a higher rate taxpayer and they must not be claiming the married couple’s allowance.

An application for marriage allowance will result in a reduced personal allowance for the transferor. Note however that the recipient will receive a tax reduction rather than an increased personal allowance. When calculating an individual’s income tax liability, S23 ITA 2007 sets out seven steps in the tax calculation. In Step 3, the personal allowance is deducted. For the avoidance of doubt therefore, the recipient’s Step 3 allowance is not adjusted but instead the adjustment comes in at Step 6 where any tax ‘reducers’ are deducted from the tax liability.

Couples will be entitled to the full benefit in their first year of marriage. Both individuals must be born on or after 6 April 1935.

For those couples where one person does not use all of their personal allowance at the moment the benefit will be up to £252. The £252 is calculated by multiplying the personal allowance for the tax year by 10%, rounding up to the nearest £10, then applying basic rate to the resulting figure. For example in the 2025/26 tax year: £12,570 x 10% = £1,257. After rounding this up to £1,260 the tax reduction is £1,260 x 20% = £252.

Entitlement to the personal allowance and blind person's allowance is dealt with in Income Tax Act 2007, Part 3 Chapter 2. Tax reductions for married couples and civil partners are dealt with under Chapter 3.

Chapter 4 then states that the above allowances or tax reduction may be claimed for a tax year where the individual is resident for the tax year.

Even if an individual is not resident in the UK they may be able to claim personal allowances if they meet certain criteria.

The government announced changes in the Autumn Budget 2024 to the taxation of non-UK domiciled individuals. From 6 April 2025 the concept of domicile as a relevant connecting factor in the UK tax system was replaced by a system based on tax residence.

As part of these changes the government abolished the “remittance basis” for UK resident non UK domiciled individuals. From 6 April 2025, all UK residents will be taxed on the arising basis of assessment. A new regime for foreign income and capital gains (FIG) is available to individuals for their first four years of UK tax residence after a period of 10 years non-residence. Individuals who make a claim to use the new 4-year FIG regime will not pay tax on FIG arising in those four years.

An individual will lose their entitlement to a personal allowance for Income Tax for the tax year in which they make the claim for the FIG regime. The loss of entitlement to personal allowance will apply regardless of whether a claim is made for only income or only gains, or only an election for Overseas Workday Relief (OWR) is made.

The government has published a technical note on Reforming the taxation of non-UK domiciled individuals which contains more information

If an individual already pays tax through their job or pension, or completes a Self Assessment tax return, then a personal allowance will be received automatically. In order to get the age-related personal allowance, the form Income Tax: age-related Personal Allowance (P161) pension coding needs to be completed.

2024/25 & 2025/26 allowances

Step 1

Take the amount of the individual's 'net income' for the tax year.

• Per S23 ITA 2007, net income is total income subject to income tax less specified deductions. The most important of the specified deductions are trading losses and payments made gross to pension schemes (relief under net pay arrangements).

Step 2

Deduct any grossed up gift aid donations (payment x 100/80)

Step 3

Deduct any grossed up pension contributions which were paid net

Step 4

Add back in tax relief received for payments made to trade unions or police organisations which were deducted in arriving at net income in Step One.

The result is 'adjusted net income' for the tax year. See Income tax personal allowance: planning ideas for a worked example showing the benefit of a pension contribution to reduce this.

The personal allowance is reduced by half of the amount - £1 for every £2 - over the £100,000 limit. If income is large enough, the personal allowance will be reduced to nil. In practice, an individual's tax code will take account of the reduction based on an estimate of income. HMRC will work out the actual entitlement to Personal Allowance (if any) when the tax return is sent in.

The allowance is only available to those married and living together for the whole or part of the tax year with at least one spouse born before 6 April 1935.

For 2026/27 the maximum amount of married couple's allowance is £11,700 and the minimum amount is £4,530. A claimant however only receives 10% of the allowance amount. The actual tax saving (based on a full year's eligibility) is therefore at least £453 and up to £1,170.

The precise amount depends on the claimant's income. It is subject to the £37,700 income limit, and is reduced by £1 for every £2 above the limit. The allowance is never reduced below the minimum amount.

The allowance is given in full in the year of separation or death of either spouse/partner.

Marriages before 5 December 2005 - the old rule (S45 ITA 2007)

If a man meets the condition that, for the whole or part of the tax year he is married and his wife is living with him, then he can claim the allowance (unless an election for the new rules to apply is in force) in which case HMRC will reduce his tax bill by 10% of the married couple's allowance to which he is entitled. The actual amount depends on the husband's income as detailed below.

Marriages and civil partnerships on or after 5 December 2005 (S46 ITA 2007)

If an individual meets the condition that, for the whole or part of the tax year he/she is married or in a civil partnership and is living with the spouse or civil partner then the person with the higher net income can claim the allowance and HMRC will reduce the claimant's tax bill by 10% of the married couple's allowance to which he or she is entitled. The actual amount depends on the claimant's income as detailed below.

Note that these provisions also apply to a marriage before 5 December 2005 where an election for the new rules to apply is in force.

The year of marriage or entry into civil partnership (S54 ITA 2007)

In the year of marriage or entry into civil partnership, entitlement is reduced by one twelfth for each complete tax month (ending on the 5th) before the event. For example a marriage on 24 March 2026 would mean receipt of just one twelfth of the allowance for 2025/26.

Election by individual to transfer relief (S47 ITA 2007)

If an individual's spouse is entitled to a tax reduction above for a particular tax year, then the individual can elect to claim a tax reduction of 10% of half the minimum amount (ie. in 2026/27 half of £4,530 = £2,265).

Joint election to transfer relief (S48 ITA 2007)

If an individual's spouse is entitled to a tax reduction above for a particular tax year then the individual and the spouse or civil partner can jointly elect for the individual to claim a tax reduction of 10% of the minimum amount (i.e. in 2026/27 £4,530).

To summarise therefore the 'other' spouse can claim half of the minimum allowance as of right, or the couple can jointly claim for the 'other' spouse to get the whole amount. Elections under S47 and S48 above must be made before the start of the tax year in which it is first to apply. Claims must be made on the form Income Tax: transferring the Married Couple's Allowance (18). In the year of marriage or formation of civil partnership however, the election may be made in that year. The election will then continue in force for each subsequent tax year until withdrawn.

Transfer of unused relief (S51 ITA 2007)

If an individual's spouse or civil partner is entitled to a tax reduction which exceeds their tax liability then the individual may claim a tax reduction equal to the unused part providing that the spouse or civil partner notifies HMRC. The form Income Tax: notice of transfer of surplus Income Tax allowances (575(T)) should be used to transfer unused relief.

In other words, if an individual's tax liability is too low to utilise the allowance, then the individual can transfer the surplus to their spouse or civil partner.

Under S38 ITA 2007, an individual can claim blind person's allowance for a tax year if he/she meets either of the following conditions for the whole or part of the tax year

• The individual is registered blind under S29 of the National Assistance Act 1948 by a local authority in England and Wale
  
  
• The individual is resident in Scotland or Northern Ireland and because of blindness is unable to do any work for which eyesight is essential.

There are no age or income restrictions. If both spouses or civil partners qualify for blind person's allowance then each is entitled.

Consider Sally who is 58 and registered blind with her local authority in England. In the 2026/27 tax year she has:

• An annual salary of £16,400
  
  
• A personal allowance of £12,570
  
  
• Blind person's allowance of £3,250

She will only be subject to tax on £580 (£16,400 less the sum of £12,570 and £3,2500).

If a blind person's tax bill isn't high enough to fully use the blind person's allowance then it is possible to transfer any unused allowance to a spouse or civil partner. As above completion of form 575 will achieve this.