Maternity Allowance

Maternity Allowance is usually paid to you if you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay.

You can claim Maternity Allowance as soon as you've been pregnant for 26 weeks. Payments can start 11 weeks before your baby is due. 

You might get Maternity Allowance for 39 weeks if one of the following applies:

• You're employed, but you cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay 
• You're self-employed and pay Class 2 National Insurance (including voluntary National Insurance)
• You've recently stopped working

In the 66 weeks before your baby's due, you must also have been: 

• Employed or self-employed for at least 26 weeks
• Earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks - the weeks do not have to be together 

You may still qualify if you've recently stopped working. It does not matter if you had different jobs or periods of unemployment. 

For information about Maternity Allowance please visit the gov.uk website where there is also an online calculator to help you. 

https://www.gov.uk/maternity-allowance

Jobcentre Plus Tel: 0800 055 6688