If you are pregnant and working, or recently self-employed, you may be entitled to maternity pay or Maternity Allowance to give you an income while you take time off with your baby. Knowing which one applies to you, and how much you can get, helps you plan. This guide explains Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance for 2026/27, who can get each, and how they work.

Statutory Maternity Pay

If you are employed and meet the qualifying conditions, your employer pays you Statutory Maternity Pay while you are off with your baby. It is paid for up to 39 weeks: the first six weeks at 90% of your average weekly earnings, and the remaining 33 weeks at either a standard weekly rate or 90% of your average earnings, whichever is lower. For 2026/27 the standard rate is £194.32 a week. It is paid through payroll and taxed like wages.

Who qualifies for Statutory Maternity Pay

To get Statutory Maternity Pay, you generally need to have worked for the same employer continuously for a set period before your baby is due, and to earn at least a minimum average amount a week. If you meet these conditions, your employer must pay it. If you do not qualify, for example because you recently changed jobs, are self-employed, or do not earn enough, you may be able to claim Maternity Allowance instead.

Maternity Allowance

Maternity Allowance is a benefit paid by the government, rather than an employer, to women who do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay. This includes many self-employed women, those who have recently changed jobs, and some who do not earn enough for Statutory Maternity Pay. For 2026/27 it is paid at up to £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks, and unlike Statutory Maternity Pay, Maternity Allowance is tax-free.

Who can claim Maternity Allowance

You may be able to claim Maternity Allowance if you have been employed or self-employed for at least 26 of the 66 weeks before your baby is due, and earned a minimum amount in some of those weeks. Self-employed women usually need to have paid Class 2 National Insurance to get the full rate. There is also a lower rate of Maternity Allowance for some women who help with their self-employed partner's business.

How to claim Maternity Allowance

You claim Maternity Allowance from the government, using a claim form, and you can claim from when you are 26 weeks pregnant, with payments able to start from 11 weeks before your baby is due. You will need evidence such as proof of your income and your due date. It is worth claiming in good time, so your payments are ready to start when you need them, rather than leaving it until the last minute.

How it affects Universal Credit

If you claim Universal Credit as well, both Statutory Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance count as income and will reduce your Universal Credit for the period you receive them, although your housing and child elements continue as normal. Maternity Allowance is also affected by the benefit cap, while Statutory Maternity Pay is not. Because of these differences, it is worth getting a benefits check to understand your overall position while on maternity leave.

Protecting your State Pension

Claiming Maternity Allowance brings National Insurance credits, which count towards your State Pension and help protect your record during the time you are off work. This is a valuable extra reason to claim, particularly for self-employed women, as it helps make sure that taking time off to have a baby does not leave a gap in your pension record. The credits come automatically with your Maternity Allowance.

Maternity leave and your rights at work

Maternity pay is separate from your right to maternity leave. Employed women are usually entitled to up to 52 weeks of maternity leave regardless of how long they have worked for their employer, even though Statutory Maternity Pay lasts up to 39 weeks. Your job is protected during maternity leave, and you have rights on returning to work. If you are employed, it is worth understanding both your leave and your pay, as they are governed by different rules.

Keeping in touch days

While you are on maternity leave or receiving Maternity Allowance, you can usually do a limited number of keeping in touch days, working for your employer without losing your maternity pay or allowance. These can help you stay connected with work and ease your return. There are limits on how many you can do, so check the rules, but used sensibly they can make going back to work after maternity leave a little easier.

If you do not qualify for either

If you do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance, perhaps because you have not worked or earned enough, you should still get a benefits check, as Universal Credit and other support may be available to help while you are caring for your baby. Not qualifying for maternity pay does not mean there is no help, so do not assume you are on your own, and seek advice about what you can claim.

Partners and shared parental leave

Maternity pay and leave are not the only options for families. Fathers and partners may be entitled to paternity pay and leave, and in some cases parents can share leave and pay through shared parental leave, allowing the mother to return to work earlier while her partner takes time off. If both parents work, it is worth looking at these options together, as they can give your family more flexibility in how you share caring for your new baby.

Planning your maternity finances

Because maternity pay usually replaces only part of your normal income, and drops to the standard rate after the first six weeks for Statutory Maternity Pay, it helps to plan your finances for the maternity period in advance. Work out what your income will be at each stage, check what benefits you can claim alongside it, and budget for the change. Planning ahead reduces financial stress at what should be a special time with your new baby.

In short

If you are employed and qualify, your employer pays Statutory Maternity Pay for up to 39 weeks, at 90% of earnings for six weeks then up to £194.32 a week. If you do not qualify, you may get tax-free Maternity Allowance at up to £194.32 a week instead. Both reduce Universal Credit but not your housing and child elements, and Maternity Allowance protects your State Pension.

Claim in good time

Whichever applies to you, the key is to sort out your maternity pay or Maternity Allowance in good time before your baby arrives, so your income is in place when you need it. Tell your employer in the required timeframe if you are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, or get your Maternity Allowance claim in once you can, and do a benefits check so you understand your whole financial picture during maternity leave.

Where to get help

Citizens Advice, Maternity Action and your employer's HR can help you work out your maternity pay. See our guides to the Sure Start Maternity Grant and Child Benefit for more help with a new baby.