- The marriage allowance was introduced in 2015 to help married couples
- Experts criticised the Government for failing to publicise the tax break properly
- Taxpayers have complained that the application process can be cumbersome
Two million couples are missing out on £600 each in marriage tax breaks due to a ‘shockingly’ low take-up of a Government scheme, official figures reveal.
About £1.3 billion is going unclaimed by married couples, a Freedom of Information request showed.
Last night experts criticised the Government for failing to publicise the tax break properly, leaving hard-pressed families struggling unnecessarily.
HMRC said 4.2 million couples stood to gain, but pensions provider Royal London has found that only 2.2 million couples have claimed it
Taxpayers have complained that the application process can be cumbersome, while some have said they have been unfairly rejected. The so-called marriage allowance was introduced in 2015 to help married couples and civil partners where one partner earns less than the other.
The taxman lets the lower earner transfer up £1,150 of any unused £11,500 tax-free personal allowance to the higher earner.
HMRC said 4.2 million couples stood to gain, but pensions provider Royal London has found that only 2.2 million couples have claimed it. HMRC said: ‘The application process is easy and families can apply at a time which is convenient for them.’