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If you're certified blind and are on a local authority register of blind persons, or if you live in Scotland or Northern Ireland and are unable to perform any work for which eyesight is essential, you can claim Blind Person's Allowance. If you can't use up some or all of your allowance you may be able to transfer it.
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Blind Person's Allowance is added to your tax-free Personal Allowance - so is an extra amount of income you can get each year without paying tax. If you are on a low income or even if you don't pay any tax you may be able to transfer your Blind Person's Allowance to your spouse or civil partner - see the section on transferring below.
Blind Person's Allowance for the tax year 2013-14 is £2,160 - there are no age or income restrictions.
So if, for example, you're 58, registered blind with your local authority and have:
you only need to pay tax on £1,400 (£13,000 less the sum of £9,440 and £2,160).
If both you and your spouse or civil partner qualify for Blind Person's Allowance you can each get an allowance.
If both you and your spouse or civil partner qualify for Blind Person's Allowance you can each get an allowance.
Personal Allowance - learn more
If you think you may be able to claim Blind Person's Allowance contact HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on the priority telephone number 0845 366 7887. Lines are open from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, Monday to Friday and 8.00 am to 4.00 pm, Saturday.
If your tax bill isn't high enough to use up all of your Blind Person's Allowance you can ask HMRC to transfer any unused allowance to your spouse or civil partner. You can do this by:
If you are making a claim to get tax back on a form R40 you can also request form 575 by ticking the appropriate box.
If you don't pay tax and your spouse or civil partner does you can still transfer your unused allowance to them.
If you are also able to claim Married Couple's Allowance you will be able to transfer this allowance to your spouse or civil partner at the same time.
Go to form 575 Notice of transfer of surplus Income Tax allowances
More about Married Couple's Allowance
More about civil partnerships on the Women & Equality unit website (Opens new window)
Check Income Tax rates and allowances
Plan your retirement income on GOV.UK (Opens new window)
Do you have to pay tax in retirement?
Tax refunds and reclaiming overpaid tax
