Maternity Benefits Overview

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) is paid by your employer for up to 39 weeks. To qualify, you must:

• Have worked for the same employer continuously for at least 26 weeks by the end of the 15th week before your expected week of childbirth (this is called the 'qualifying week')
• Earn at least the lower earnings limit for National Insurance (£123/week in 2024–25) in the eight weeks before the qualifying week
• Still be employed (or have left your job) up to and including the qualifying week

The rates of SMP are:

• First 6 weeks: 90% of your average gross weekly earnings, with no cap
• Remaining 33 weeks: £184.03 per week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower

SMP is treated as earnings, so income tax and National Insurance are deducted. Your employer can recover most of the cost from HMRC. You must give your employer at least 28 days' notice before you want SMP to start, and provide a MAT B1 certificate (maternity certificate) from your midwife or GP, usually available from around 20 weeks.

SMP can start from the 11th week before your due date at the earliest, and automatically starts if you are off work with a pregnancy-related illness in the four weeks before your due date.

Maternity Allowance (MA) is a DWP benefit for people who do not qualify for SMP. This includes:

• Self-employed workers
• Employees who have not worked for their employer for 26 weeks or earn below the NI lower earnings limit
• People who have recently changed jobs
• Those who stopped work or became recently unemployed

To qualify, you must have been employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due (these 26 weeks do not have to be continuous). If you are employed, your average weekly earnings must be at least £30 in 13 of those weeks. Self-employed people who pay Class 2 NI contributions generally qualify.

The MA rate is:

• Standard rate: £184.03/week for up to 39 weeks (if you meet the earnings test)
• Lower rate: £27/week if you are self-employed and have applied for a Small Earnings Exception, or do not meet the full earnings test

Claim MA using form MA1, available from GOV.UK, or apply online. You can claim from 26 weeks pregnant. The earliest it can be paid is 11 weeks before your due date.

The Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) is a one-off tax-free payment of £500 to help buy things for a new baby. It does not need to be repaid. To qualify, you (or your partner) must be receiving one of the following qualifying benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (at a rate above the family element)
• Working Tax Credit with a disability or severe disability element

Crucially, the SSMG is only available if you do not already have other children under 16 (unless you are expecting a multiple birth — twins, triplets, etc.). You must claim within 11 weeks of your due date or within 3 months of the birth using form SF100 (Sure Start).

In Scotland, the SSMG has been replaced by the Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment (see below and our guide to Best Start Grant).

In addition to the main maternity payments, there are several other forms of financial support available:

• Healthy Start vouchers: If you are pregnant or have a child under 4 and receive qualifying benefits, you can get weekly vouchers worth £4.25 to spend on milk, fruit, vegetables, and formula. See our Healthy Start guide.
• Free NHS dental treatment and prescriptions: You are entitled to free NHS dental treatment and free prescriptions during pregnancy and for 12 months after the birth. Claim the exemption by completing form FW8 with your midwife or GP.
• Child Benefit: Once your baby is born, you can claim Child Benefit at £25.60/week for the first child and £16.95/week for additional children. Claim as soon as possible as it can only be backdated three months. See our Child Benefit guide.
• Universal Credit childcare element: Once you return to work, you can claim up to 85% of eligible registered childcare costs back through Universal Credit.
• Shared Parental Leave and Pay: You and your partner may be able to share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of statutory pay between you, giving more flexibility over how you split time off work. See our Shared Parental Leave guide.

Citizens Advice has a dedicated maternity benefits calculator to help you identify everything you are entitled to.