Couples could be due £252 income boost this Valentine's Day just for living together

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Valentine's Day may be the annual day of love and romance, but for married couples it could also bring a tax relief windfall, especially if one partner is a non-taxpayer.

Marriage Allowance allows a non-tax paying spouse to move 10 per cent of their annual tax-free allowance to their basic-rate tax-paying partner.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) guidance explains how the allowance is worth £252 over the 2024/25 financial year, but you can claim back up to four tax years - as long as you were eligible during that time, which could bag you an impressive £1,258.

You cannot claim Marriage Allowance if you’re living together, but not married or in a civil partnership.More than 2.1 million couples currently benefit from Marriage Allowance, but thousands more may be missing out simply because they don’t realise they are eligible, particularly couples where one partner has either retired, has given up work to take on caring responsibilities, or is unable to work due to a long-term health condition.Other couples who may be unaware that they could claim include those where one partner is working part-time or has a low-paid job and the other has income less than their Personal Allowance of £12,570.Marriage Allowance saves couples money by allowing the lower or non-earner to reduce the amount of tax their partner pays.

Most people have a Personal Allowance, normally £12,570 - the amount of income they do not have to pay tax on.Marriage Allowance lets the lower earner transfer £1,260 of their Personal Allowance to their husband, wife or civil partner.