HMRC, the Labour Party government's tax authority, will boost the Blind Person’s Allowance by £3,250 to £15,820 for the 2026/27 tax year. This allowance is added to the yearly Personal Allowance—the amount of money you can earn before paying Income Tax.
Eligibility Criteria
You can claim Blind Person’s Allowance if both of the following apply: you’re registered with your local council as blind or severely sight impaired, and you have a certificate confirming your condition (or a similar document from your doctor). You may also qualify if you cannot do work that requires eyesight.
Transferring Your Allowance
If you and your spouse or civil partner are both eligible, each gets their own allowance. You can transfer your Blind Person’s Allowance to your spouse or civil partner if you do not pay tax or earn enough to use all of it. This is possible whether or not your partner is blind, as long as you are married or in a civil partnership and living together. Exceptions apply if you cannot live together due to illness, old age (e.g., residential care), working away from home, armed forces postings, imprisonment, or training/education.
How to Claim or Transfer
To transfer your allowance, use form 575 or call HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). If you’re claiming tax back on savings and investment interest using form R40, you can also request a copy of form 575 by ticking the appropriate box.
