Maternity Allowance explained: who can get it, how much and how to claim

Maternity Allowance is money from the government for mums who can’t get Statutory Maternity Pay from an employer, for example if you’re self-employed, have recently changed jobs or stopped working, or earn too little for SMP.

How much is Maternity Allowance?

It depends on your situation:

Employed, or recently stopped working: £194.32 a week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that’s less, for up to 39 weeks.
Self-employed: between £27 and £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks, depending on the Class 2 National Insurance contributions you’ve paid in the 66 weeks before your due date.
Unpaid work in your spouse’s or civil partner’s business: £27 a week for up to 14 weeks.

If you take the full 52 weeks of maternity leave, the last 13 weeks are unpaid.

Who can get it?

If you’re employed (or were)

In the 66 weeks before the week your baby is due (called the ‘test period’), you need to have:

been employed for at least 26 weeks (they don’t have to be in a row), and
earned, or been classed as earning, at least £30 a week in at least 13 of those weeks

If you’re self-employed

You need to have been registered as self-employed with HMRC for at least 26 weeks in the test period. To get the full £194.32 a week, you also need to have paid Class 2 National Insurance, or been treated as having paid it, for at least 13 of those weeks. If your profits are above the Small Profits Threshold you’re treated as having paid it automatically. If they’re below it, you can choose to pay voluntary Class 2 (£3.65 a week). With fewer than 13 weeks, you’ll get less, down to £27 a week, and HMRC can tell you how many extra weeks you could pay to top it up.

If you help in your partner’s business

If you did unpaid work for your spouse’s or civil partner’s business for at least 26 weeks of the test period, weren’t employed or self-employed yourself, and they were registered as self-employed and paid (or were treated as having paid) Class 2 National Insurance, you may get £27 a week for up to 14 weeks.

What to send with your claim

Form MA1
Proof of your due date: your MATB1, or a letter from your doctor or midwife on headed paper
Original payslips, if you’re employed
Form SMP1, if your employer told you you can’t get SMP
If your baby has been born: proof of the birth, such as the original birth certificate or a MATB1 with the date of birth filled in

How it affects other benefits

Maternity Allowance can affect other benefits. For example, Universal Credit is reduced by the same amount, and Jobseeker’s Allowance stops. Overall, most people’s total payments go up or stay the same.

Other help

If you get certain benefits, you may also be able to get a one-off Sure Start Maternity Grant (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or a Best Start Grant (Scotland). Your MATB1 can be used as proof of your pregnancy for the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

Useful links

This is general information based on GOV.UK. Rates shown apply from April 2026. In Northern Ireland, you claim Maternity Allowance through the Department for Communities: see nidirect.