Maternity Allowance


If you meet some but not all of the qualifying conditions for SMP, you may get Maternity Allowance (MA) instead. MA is paid for a maximum of 39 weeks and can start from the 11th week before your baby is due, as long as you have stopped work.


There are three different types of MA available:


• MA at £145.18 a week for 39 weeks: You might get MA at £145.18 a week for 39 weeks (90% of your average earnings if lower) if you are employed but you can’t get SMP (for example, because you haven’t been in your job long enough); if you are self-employed and pay Class 2 National Insurance Contributions (NICs); or you’ve recently stopped working. 


◊ to get MA at this level, you must have been employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the baby is due and earning £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks. The 13 weeks don’t have to be consecutive. If, for any period, you are exempt from paying NICs and hold an exemption certificate for that period, you will be treated as earning £30 a week. 


• MA at £27 a week for 39 weeks: If you haven’t paid enough Class 2 NICs to get the full rate, you’ll get £27 a week for 39 weeks. You still need to meet the other eligibility criteria to get this amount. 


• MA at £27 a week for 14 weeks: You might get MA at £27 a week for 14 weeks if for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due, you are married or in a civil partnership, neither employed or self-employed, but working unpaid in the business of your self-employed spouse or civil partner who is registered with HMRC as self-employed and who is paying Class 2 NICs.


How to claim


If you do not qualify for SMP, your employer has to give you an SMP1 form. You need to complete this and send it with form MA1 (download at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/maternity-allowance-claim-form) together with your maternity certificate MATB1, to the office specified on the form, which will make arrangements for the payments.