Married couples living across West Dunbartonshire could be in for a cash boost, should they take advantage of a special HMRC tax allowance.

More than a million couples across the UK, whether married or civil partnered, are eligible for Marriage Allowance, a free tax break worth more than £200 a year.

The allowance, the basics of which permits a non-tax paying partner to transfer up to £1,190 of their tax-free personal allowance to their spouse or civil partner, can be applied for online.

Thanks to the start of the new tax year, this can now be backdated, upping the payment to nearly £900 in time for the summer holidays.

More 300,000 couples have signed up for the scheme since March of this year alone.

Mel Stride, MP and financial secretary to the Treasury, said: “This is a really important tax relief and reflects the social importance of marriages and civil partnerships.

"I’d urge those that haven’t yet managed to claim the money to do so right away – it’s quick and easy to apply.”

To apply online, visit gov.uk/marriage-allowance.