Maternity Allowance in the UK

If you are expecting a new baby, you may be eligible for Maternity Allowance. You must be either expecting, have just given birth and be ineligible for Statutory Maternity Pay. This maternity benefit may impact your eligibility for other benefits except Tax Credits and Disability Living Allowance.

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To determine your eligibility you must be:

Employed but ineligible for Statutory Maternity Pay
Registered as self-employed and paying Class 2 National Insurance Contributions, or hold a Small Earnings Exception Certificate.
You have been working for at least 26 weeks of the “test period”
- The “Test Period” is 66 weeks up to and including the week before your baby is due.

You have earned an average of £30 in any of the 13 weeks in the “test period”

If you're entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay then you won't be eligible for Maternity Allowance.

The Maternity Allowance benefit pays a standard weekly rate of £108.85 or ninety-percent of your average weekly earnings (whichever is smaller). This benefit is paid for a maximum of 26 weeks.

You may be able to earn additional benefits if your partner has a low income or someone else looks after your children.

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How Do You Apply For It?

To claim your benefits, you may visit your Jobcentre Plus office for a claim form (Form MA1) or download the form online.

The earliest you may receive benefits is from the 11^th week of you baby’s due date and the latest you may receive benefits is the day following your child’s birth. You may claim benefits as soon as you have been pregnant for 26 weeks.

Your employer should provide you with your MA1 form if you are ineligible for Statutory Maternity Pay. You will be asked to give evidence of your baby’s due date and to complete a maternity certificate MATB1. Your doctor or midwife should provide you with these forms. The earliest you may receive your certificate is 20 weeks before you baby’s due date.

You may also need to provide proof of your earnings or a Small Earnings Exception certificate. If you are self-employed and paying Class 2 National Insurance Contributions the HM Revenue & Customs office will be asked confirm that your payments are updated

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Other common terms for this subject (incl. misspellings) are:
Maternity Rights - Maternity Benefits

Maternity Allowance: Are You Eligible?