Back
GrantUK-wide

Maternity Allowance

Department for Work and Pensions (Department for Communities in Northern Ireland)

Description

A state-paid weekly benefit for pregnant women/people who don't qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) — typically because they're self-employed, recently stopped working, or haven't been with their current employer long enough. Pays up to £194.32 a week (2026/27) or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is less, for up to 39 weeks. Administered by the Department for Work and Pensions in England, Scotland and Wales, and by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland under the same rules, rates and MA1 claim form — not a devolved replacement, just a different claim-handling body. Unlike SMP, Maternity Allowance is tax-free, but it does count as income for means-tested benefits such as Universal Credit, Council Tax Reduction and Housing Benefit.

Amount

£194.32/week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is less (2026/27) — for up to 39 weeks; self-employed claimants with under 13 weeks' Class 2 NI contributions in the test period get £27/week instead; the spousal-business unpaid-work route pays £27/week for up to 14 weeks.

Deadline

Rolling / no fixed deadline

Eligibility summary

  • Available across the whole UK (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).
  • Open to individuals — not restricted to businesses.
Notes
Confirmed directly on gov.uk: the full £194.32/week rate applies to employed claimants (or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower), and to self-employed claimants who paid at least 13 weeks' Class 2 NI in the test period; self-employed claimants who didn't are treated as earning £30/week and get the lower £27/week rate instead. This self-employed £27-vs-£194.32 split and the exact 13-week Class 2 NI threshold were also independently confirmed on nidirect.gov.uk's Northern Ireland guidance, which mirrors the GB scheme rule-for-rule under Department for Communities administration. Can be claimed from 26 weeks pregnant, with payments starting any time from 11 weeks before the due date. Not modelled on the applicant's own Profile.ageBand, since eligibility turns on employment/self-employment history and pregnancy, not a fixed age band.
Requirement
Employed or self-employed for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before your baby is due (the 'test period'), and either: earning (or treated as earning) at least £30/week in any 13 of those weeks if employed, or having paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions in at least 13 of those weeks if self-employed. A separate, narrower route (up to £27/week for up to 14 weeks) covers people who do unpaid work for a spouse or civil partner's business, where that spouse/partner is registered self-employed and paying Class 2 NI.

Want help with this application?

This one is usually simple enough to do yourself using the free official link below — but if you'd rather have help, we're building relationships with vetted professionals and can let you know if that becomes available.

Some of the organisations we may connect you with pay us a referral fee if you use their service. This never affects which listings you see in the directory. No live partner is confirmed yet for this listing.

You can also do this yourself for free via the official source

How to apply

Claim using the MA1 form on gov.uk (fill in online and print, or request a paper copy by phone), any time from 26 weeks pregnant, with your MATB1 certificate, 13 weeks of payslips/self-employment evidence, and (if applicable) the SMP1 form your employer gave you explaining why you don't qualify for SMP. Northern Ireland claimants send the same MA1 form to the Department for Communities instead of DWP.

View official source

Last verified: 3 October 2026. See the footer disclaimer — this is general information, not financial or tax advice.