Maternity Allowance

Maternity Allowance (MA) may be available to help you take time off to have your baby if you are not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay from an employer. MA is also available if you are registered self-employed or have done some employed or self-employed work in the 15 months, before the week your baby is due. You can claim MA as soon as you receive certificate MAT B1 from your midwife of doctor. You will get this after you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. The latest you can claim MA is after 3 months your baby was born. If you delay, you may lose benefit. There are a number of conditions that you need to meet in order to claim maternity benefit so we suggest you to seek a professional advice before you make a claim. If your Expected Week of Childbirth is on or before 31 March 2007, MA can be paid for up to 26 weeks. If your Expected Week of Childbirth is on or after 1 April 2007, MA can be paid for up to 39 weeks.

The important date for working out how long MA can be paid for is the date your baby is due not when your baby is actually born.

Standard rate: £112.75 or 90% of your average gross weekly earnings if this is less than £112.75.