Guidance

Maternity benefits: detailed guide

Find out about the 2 maternity benefits available under the social security scheme: Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance.

Published 1 April 2013
Last updated 10 December 2018 — see all updates
From:
Department for Work and Pensions

Documents

Details

A guide to the 2 maternity benefits available to women under the social security scheme:

  • Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)
  • Maternity Allowance (MA)

This includes how the maternity benefits are worked out, the eligibility rules and when these benefits may be paid.

Published 1 April 2013
Last updated 10 December 2018 + show all updates
  1. Updated guide to explain you'll need to apply for a Pregnancy and Baby Payment if you live in Scotland. You can no longer apply for a Sure Start Maternity Grant.
  2. Added information about the Pregnancy and Baby Payment replacing Sure Start Maternity Grant from 10 December 2018 if you live in Scotland.
  3. N17A updated to reflect National Insurance contribution changes (NICs) for the self-employed.
  4. Updated to take account of the new Shared Parental Leave and Pay scheme.
  5. Revisions have been published to the Maternity benefits technical guidance to include the introduction on 1 April 2014 of Maternity Allowance for women who are not employed or self-employed, their baby is due on or after 27 July 2014, and they take part in the business of their self-employed spouse or civil partner.
  6. First published.