- Personal allowance
UK residents receive the first portion of their income free from tax. This is known as their personal allowance. Earnings above the personal allowance are taxable according to how much is earned.
The personal allowance for the tax year 2005-06 for residents under 65 was £4895, and this was increased to £5435 for the tax year 2008-09.
Certain residents are entitled to a larger personal allowance than this. These include the over 65s, the blind, and married couples where at least one person was born before 6 April 1935.
The Chancellor announced in May 2008 that the 2008/09 personal allowance would be increased by £600 from £5435 to £6035. This was done to help low-income customers affected by the abolition of the 10% starting rate of income tax. At the same time the threshold at which someone starts to pay higher rate tax will be reduced by £600, so that higher rate tax payers will not benefit from the change. The change will be implemented in September 2008. It remains to be seen whether or not the enhanced personal allowance will be retained in 2009/10.
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