Maternity Allowance
Key information
Maternity Allowance is a weekly payment for some
women who are pregnant or have recently given
birth.
Applies to: England, Wales, Scotland and
Northern Ireland
Age rules: There are no specific age rules
Type of benefit: Non
means tested
Taxable: No
Administered by: JobCentre Plus
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Who does it help?
Maternity Allowance is money paid to some pregnant women who do
not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay from their employer
because, for example:
- they have recently stopped work to have the baby, or
- they do not earn enough money.
Self-employed women may also get Maternity Allowance.
You must have been employed or self-employed for at least 26
weeks of the test period (66 weeks up to and including the week
before your baby is due). It does not matter if these weeks
are split up, or if they are not all for the same
employer. You must also have earned £30 a week averaged over
any 13 weeks in your test period.
You can claim at any time once you are 26 weeks pregnant.
If you do not qualify for Maternity Allowance or Statutory
Maternity Pay, you might qualify for:
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What help does it provide?
Maternity Allowance is money that you can spend as you
want. It is normally paid into your bank or building society
account. You can be paid at a post office in some cases.
Maternity Allowance is paid for 39 weeks. The earliest it
can start to be paid is the 11th week before the baby is due.
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How much does it pay?
Maternity Allowance is £135.45 or 90%of your average gross
weekly earnings (before tax), whichever is the smaller. You will
get the full amount of Maternity Allowance if you have paid enough
national insurance contributions. You may get a reduced rate
if you have not paid enough national insurance contributions.
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How do I make a claim?
Phone Jobcentre Plus for a claim form:
Telephone 0800 055 6688
Textphone 0800 023 4888
Download
a claim form from the Directgov website (link opens in a new
window)
In Northern Ireland
Phone your local
Social Security/Jobs and Benefits Office for a claim form
Download
a claim form from the NI Direct website (link opens in a new
window)
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What documents will I need?
You must give your national insurance number and evidence of who
you are, for example, a driving licence or birth
certificate.
If you are claiming an additional amount for your husband, civil
partner or another adult who looks after your children, you
normally also have to give their national insurance number.
If you are employed, you will need to send in form SMP1 that
your employer will give you. You will need to provide evidence of
your wages, for example, a payslip or note from your
employer.
You must also give evidence of your pregnancy. This is
usually the maternity certificate from your doctor or midwife
(MATB1). If you claim Maternity Allowance after your baby is born,
you should provide the birth certificate.
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Can it be backdated?
If you claim late, you can get MA backdated for up to three
months if you would have been entitled to it earlier. It does not
matter why your claim is late. Request this when claiming.
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Challenging decisions
If you disagree with the decision made on your benefit claim you
can ask for a written statement of reasons. If you still believe
the decision is wrong, for example due to incorrect information
being used, you can ask for it to be looked at again, and/or
appeal.
The time limits are strict, you will usually be given one
month to dispute a decision, so it is important to seek advice and
act quickly.
Further information on Challenges and
complaints
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Change of circumstance
You must report changes in your circumstances
which might affect your entitlement to this benefit.
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This information has been produced by Citizens
Advice.
Last updated: 9 April 2012
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