Blind Person’s Allowance

Blind Person’s Allowance is an extra amount of tax-free allowance, find out below whether you are entitled.

The Blind Person's Allowance is added to your tax-free Personal Allowance and increases the amount of income you can have each year before you start paying tax.

The Blind Person's Allowance for the tax year 2023-24 is £2,870, regardless of your age or income.

If you’re in 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 that says you're blind or severely sight impaired (or a similar document from your doctor).

If you’re in Scotland and Northern Ireland you can claim Blind Person’s Allowance if you cannot do work for which eyesight is essential and you have a certificate that says you're blind or severely sight impaired (or a similar document from your doctor).

Claiming

You have to claim the Blind Person's Allowance – it won’t be given to you automatically.

Claims can be backdated by up to four years, so if you were registered blind or severely sight impaired in or before the 2019-20 tax year you could benefit by up to £2,588 if you pay tax at the basic rate of 20 percent.

You can transfer the Blind Person's Allowance, or the unused part of it, to your spouse or civil partner if you don't pay tax or can't use all of it. This can be done whether or not they are blind. If both you and your spouse or civil partner qualify for Blind Person's Allowance you can claim an allowance each.

Claims for tax allowances are allowed in cases where a partner has died before the claim is made. Such claims can be backdated by up to four years provided all other conditions for the allowance are met.