Expectant and new mothers could be eligible for nearly £200 per week in additional support, provided they meet certain criteria. Maternity Allowance is a financial aid designed to assist new mothers so they can take time off work for their baby’s arrival.
This allowance is available if you are employed but do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), self-employed, or have recently ceased working. In total, you could receive up to £184.03 per week through Maternity Allowance, which can last for up to 39 weeks in some instances, amounting to £7,117.17 overall.
However, it’s crucial to remember that due to the 39-week maximum limit, if you took a full 52 weeks of Statutory Maternity Leave, the final 13 weeks would be unpaid.
Who qualifies for Maternity Allowance?
You can start receiving Maternity Allowance as soon as you’ve been pregnant for 26 weeks, with payments commencing anytime between the 11th week before the baby is due and the day after its birth.
To be eligible for Maternity Allowance, you must have been employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due or registered as self-employed for the same period. If you were employed, your earnings must have been at least £30 a week for at least 13 weeks of your employment – these weeks do not need to be consecutive.
Having different jobs or periods of unemployment does not automatically disqualify you from receiving Maternity Allowance. Even if you tragically lose your baby, you could still receive Maternity Allowance provided the baby was born alive at any point during the pregnancy or was stillborn from the start of the 24th week of pregnancy.
You can calculate your potential entitlement using the free online maternity entitlement calculator.
If you receive other benefits
However, receiving Maternity Allowance could affect other benefits and may alter your payments.
This can include:
- Carer Support Payment
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support
- Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) – this will stop if you get Maternity Allowance
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Reduction
- Carer’s Allowance
- bereavement benefits
- Universal Credit
To make a claim for Maternity Allowance, you will need to complete an MA1 form which can be printed out here. Additionally, you will need to provide evidence of your income and proof of the baby’s due date and birth.
