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Overview

Blind Person’s Allowance is an extra amount of tax-free allowance for people who are blind or severely sight impaired. It increases the amount of income you can earn before you start paying Income Tax.

This allowance is added to your Personal Allowance (the standard amount of money you can earn before paying tax) and is a useful way to reduce your taxable income if you are eligible.

What you’ll get

For the 2025 to 2026 tax year, Blind Person’s Allowance is £3,130. This is added on top of your usual Personal Allowance.

If both you and your spouse or civil partner qualify, you can each claim an allowance. If you do not pay enough tax to use all of your allowance, you may be able to transfer the unused part to your spouse or civil partner to reduce their tax.

Who can claim

England and Wales

You can claim Blind Person’s Allowance if:

• You’re registered with your local council as blind or severely sight impaired, and
• You have a certificate confirming you are blind or severely sight impaired (or a letter from your doctor).

There is no minimum age or income level to qualify, the main requirement is the certification and eligibility above.

How to claim

You must claim Blind Person’s Allowance, it will not be added automatically.

To claim:

• Contact HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) by phone or post.
• Have your National Insurance number and registration/certificate details ready.
• HMRC will update your tax code to include the allowance once the claim is accepted.

HMRC phone for claims: 0300 200 3301
Monday to Friday, generally 8am to 6pm (check GOV.UK for current opening times).

You may also be able to backdate a claim for previous years if you were eligible but did not claim at the time.

Transferring your allowance

If you do not have enough taxable income to use all of your Blind Person’s Allowance, you may be able to transfer the unused part to your spouse or civil partner to reduce their tax bill.

This can be helpful if you have little or no income but your partner pays tax. The rules and forms for this transfer are set out by HMRC.

Why this matters

Blind Person’s Allowance is a recognised tax relief that can:

• Increase your tax-free income
• Reduce the amount of income tax you pay each year
• Help support people with sight loss with additional costs they may face

It’s one of the allowances that many eligible people do not realise they can claim, so it’s worth checking whether you’re entitled to it.

Notes

• Allowances are set by the UK Government each tax year and can change, so always check the latest information on UK.
• This page focuses on general information; for personalised tax advice, contact HMRC or a qualified tax adviser.