Maternity Allowance (MA) is a DWP payment for some people who take time off for pregnancy and birth but do not receive Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP), as well as eligible self-employed people and some recently employed claimants. For 2026/27, an employed or recently employed claimant may get £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 39 weeks. A self-employed claimant’s rate depends on Class 2 National Insurance contributions.
This page explains the GOV.UK/DWP claim route. In Northern Ireland, Maternity Allowance is administered through the Department for Communities and Jobs & Benefits process. For the NI employer-notice and payment path, see the Northern Ireland Maternity Leave and Pay guide and nidirect Maternity Allowance guidance.
You can apply from 26 weeks of pregnancy. Payments can start from the 11th week before the expected week of childbirth through to the day after the baby is born. This is a benefit application to DWP using form MA1; it is separate from notifying your employer about Statutory Maternity Leave. See the Great Britain Maternity Leave guide for that employer process.
A separate route when SMP does not apply
Check the 66-week test period
Apply from 26 weeks pregnant
Who may qualify
You may qualify for up to 39 weeks of MA if, during the 66 weeks before your baby is due, you were employed for at least 26 weeks or registered as self-employed for at least 26 weeks. For an employed claim, you must have earned or been treated as earning at least £30 a week in at least 13 weeks of employment. The qualifying weeks do not need to be consecutive, and different jobs or a recent period out of work can count under the rules.
If you are self-employed, the amount depends on how many qualifying Class 2 National Insurance contributions you have made in the test period. GOV.UK also has a limited route of up to 14 weeks for someone who does unpaid work in a spouse or civil partner’s self-employed business, where the claimant and business owner meet the separate conditions. Check the official eligibility page for the full criteria that match your circumstances.
MA is not an alternative you can choose simply because it pays differently from SMP. If your employer says you do not qualify for SMP, ask for form SMP1 and include it with the MA claim. SMP and MA have separate eligibility and evidence rules; the award decision determines the payment.
Amount and payment in 2026/27
For employed people and some recently employed claimants, MA is £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 39 weeks. For self-employed people, the published range is £27 to £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks, depending on Class 2 contributions. GOV.UK says that if you have paid fewer than 13 qualifying Class 2 contributions, DWP/HMRC may contact you after you apply about paying additional contributions; any adjustment can take several weeks and may be backdated once contributions are linked to the claim. Unpaid work in a spouse or civil partner’s business has a separate rate and maximum duration.
MA is usually paid every two or four weeks, generally into a bank, building-society or credit-union account. It is not an employer top-up and is not paid through the employer’s normal SMP payroll process. Check how MA affects other payments: GOV.UK says it can change several benefits, including Universal Credit, and MA is taken into account pound for pound in the Universal Credit calculation. Report it through your UC account if you receive UC.
When and how to apply
You can apply after reaching 26 weeks of pregnancy. Payment can begin any time from 11 weeks before the expected week of childbirth to the day after birth. GOV.UK advises claiming within three months of the MA start date to get the full amount you are entitled to. Use the official MA1 instructions for a late claim or unusual circumstances rather than assuming the same result in every case.
Complete the Maternity Allowance (MA1) claim form and send it to the address shown on the form. GOV.UK currently describes printing and completing the form, filling it online and printing it, or ordering a copy if you cannot print. Include the documents relevant to your situation:
- Original payslips as proof of income.
- Proof of the expected due date, such as a MATB1 certificate or a headed letter from a doctor or midwife.
- If the baby has been born, proof of birth as requested; GOV.UK says a birth certificate submitted for this purpose must be an original, not a photocopy.
- Form SMP1 if the employer refused SMP.
- The additional spouse-business information if applying under the unpaid-work route.
GOV.UK says you should get a claim decision within 20 working days. If eligible, you will receive a form confirming entitlement and asking you to confirm your last day of employment before leave. If you disagree with a decision, you can ask for mandatory reconsideration. Keep copies of the application and evidence, and record when and how the papers were sent.
Claim checklist
- 1Use the GOV.UK eligibility page and test-period calculator to identify the 66 weeks before the due date and the route that fits your work history.
- 2Check the SMP position with your employer. If SMP is refused, request form SMP1; the MA benefit claim itself goes to DWP.
- 3Apply from 26 weeks of pregnancy, choosing a permitted start date between 11 weeks before the expected week and the day after birth.
- 4Complete MA1 and attach the original payslips and due-date/birth evidence required for your route.
- 5Claim within three months of the MA start date to get the full amount you are entitled to, and report MA if you receive Universal Credit or another affected benefit.
Keep the leave and payment processes separate
Maternity Allowance is the payment claim; Statutory Maternity Leave is the employment leave right. If you are an employee, give the employer the maternity-leave notice and evidence required for that separate right even while you submit MA1 to DWP. MA does not itself book leave with the employer. The existing Maternity and Paternity Pay guide compares MA with SMP and statutory family pay; this page focuses on the MA claim journey and evidence.
If you later consider sharing unused maternity leave, review the separate Shared Parental Leave and Pay guide and check how any Maternity Allowance curtailment applies to your specific claim before changing dates.