Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help couples claim the marriage allowance.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Marriage Allowance was introduced in April 2015 to recognise the importance of marriage and civil partnerships in the tax system, and support those on low incomes by helping them keep more of the money they earn.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) ran a number of advertising campaigns to encourage eligible couples to apply for Marriage Allowance. HMRC continues to raise awareness through ongoing communication on social media and on GOV.UK.
Marriage Allowance can be claimed through the Personal Tax Account on gov.uk or by phone to HMRC. Once the claim for the current year is processed, there is no need to reapply every year because it remains in individuals’ tax code until they tell HMRC that their circumstances have changed or they become a higher rate taxpayer.