Maternity Allowance (MA)
[ch 9: pages 328-329]Someone who is not eligible for SMP may qualify for MA, paid through the local Jobcentre Plus. There are three types of MA:
• workers who cannot meet the SMP eligibility criteria (and some self-employed workers) will qualify for MA for 39 weeks at the flat weekly rate of £151.20 (2020-21), or 90% of average weekly wages if less;
• some self-employed people who have not paid enough Class 2 National Insurance to qualify for the full rate of MA £151.20 (2020-21) but who meet the other eligibility criteria for MA will get the lower flat rate of £27 a week for 39 weeks; and
• some people who are neither employed nor self-employed and are not eligible for MA for 39 weeks but who work unpaid in their partner’s business may qualify for MA at 14 weeks, again at a lower flat rate of £27 per week.
The website Working Families has useful information about claiming Maternity Allowance.
Working Families, Maternity Allowance (https://workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/maternity-allowance)