Update from the Carer Support Team
“ It’ s great being able to help people feel better, simply by talking their problems through, straightening out their confusion and putting them in touch with the right people.”
Bev Wells, Adult Carer Support Worker
Blind Persons Allowance
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.
How Blind Person’ s Allowance works 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 further on.
Additionally if both you and your spouse or civil partners qualify for
Blind Person’ s Allowance you can each get an allowance.
Level of Blind Person’ s Allowance 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:
»» An annual salary of £ 12,000
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A Personal Allowance of £ 9,440
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Blind Person’ s Allowance of £ 2,160
You only need to pay tax on £ 400(£ 12,000 less the sum of £ 9,440 and £ 2,160).
How you get Blind Person’ s Allowance 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.
Transferring your Blind Person’ s Allowance to your spouse or civil partner
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. To do this:
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Complete form 575‘ Notice of transfer of surplus income tax allowances’
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Call HMRC on 0845 366 7887 Lines are open from 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 8am to 4pm, Saturday.
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 claim Married Couple’ s Allowance you can to transfer this allowance to your spouse or civil partner at the same time.
6 Care for the Carers