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DWP

Maternity Allowance

Weekly DWP payment for up to 39 weeks for pregnant women and new mothers who cannot claim Statutory Maternity Pay, typically because they are self-employed or have worked recently but not long enough for SMP.

Headline rate£194.32employed or recently employed — standard rate (weekly)
Written by Due to You Editorial
Reviewed by D2Y Editorial Team
Last updated (2026-04-20)
Sourced from: GOV.UK

Overview

Maternity Allowance is a weekly benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for pregnant women and new mothers across the UK who are not eligible for Statutory Maternity Pay. It is paid for up to 39 weeks at a standard rate, or at a lower rate for those who have done recent unpaid work in a spouse's or civil partner's self-employed business (paid for up to 14 weeks). To qualify at the standard rate, a claimant needs to have been employed or registered self-employed for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before the baby's due date, and for employees to have earned at least a minimum weekly amount in 13 of those weeks. Self-employed claimants receive the full standard rate only if they have paid 13 weeks of Class 2 National Insurance contributions; otherwise they receive a lower rate. The qualifying weeks of work do not need to be consecutive, which makes the benefit particularly relevant for freelance, agency, and zero-hours workers. Claims can start from 11 weeks before the expected week of birth. Maternity Allowance is paid every two or four weeks and is not means-tested against a partner's income or savings, though it counts as income for Universal Credit. Individual eligibility and rate are determined by the DWP. This page references figures and criteria from the primary GOV.UK source; the authoritative source for any individual award remains the DWP.

Applies in UK-wide. Administered by DWP. This page is general information; contact DWP for your individual circumstances.

Rates

RateAmountPeriodSource
Employed or recently employed — standard rate£194.32WEEKLY[GOV.UK]
Self-employed — maximum weekly rate (full Class 2 NI contributions)£194.32WEEKLY[GOV.UK]
Self-employed — minimum weekly rate (no Class 2 NI contributions paid)£27WEEKLY[GOV.UK]
Spouse or civil partner helping in self-employed business£27WEEKLY[GOV.UK]

Eligibility criteria include

  • WORK STATUS
    Claimant must have been employed or registered self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before the baby's due date (the 26-of-66 weeks test). [GOV.UK]
  • INCOME
    Employed claimants must have earned (or been treated as earning) at least £30 per week in at least 13 weeks of that 66-week window. The 13 weeks need not be consecutive. [GOV.UK]
  • WORK STATUS
    Self-employed claimants need to have registered with HMRC for 26 of the 66 weeks and, for the full rate, paid 13 weeks of Class 2 National Insurance. [GOV.UK]
  • OTHER
    A claimant who performed at least 26 weeks of unpaid work in their spouse or civil partner's self-employed business in the 66-week window qualifies for 14 weeks of the £27 rate. [GOV.UK]
  • OTHER
    Eligibility continues if the baby is stillborn from week 24 of pregnancy or born alive at any stage. [GOV.UK]

Sources