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If you want a complete route through maternity, paternity, and family-leave pay decisions, start with the Maternity and Paternity Pay Hub for the full framework.
Maternity Allowance is a weekly benefit for pregnant women who don’t qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay. Here are the current rates for 2026/27.
Maternity Allowance Rates 2026/27
Component
Amount
Maximum weekly rate
£187.18
Duration
Up to 39 weeks
Maximum total payment
£7,300.02
Minimum weekly rate (if lower earnings)
Variable — 90% of average earnings
Minimum earnings threshold
£30/week for at least 13 weeks
Key point: You receive the lower of £187.18 or 90% of your average weekly earnings. If you earned £200/week on average, 90% would be £180 — so you’d get £180/week, not £187.18.
How Maternity Allowance Is Calculated
Standard Rate (Most Claimants)
Calculation Step
Example
Calculate average weekly earnings
£250/week
Compare: 90% of earnings OR £187.18
90% × £250 = £225
You receive the lower amount
£187.18/week (capped at maximum)
Lower Earnings Example
Calculation Step
Example
Calculate average weekly earnings
£150/week
Compare: 90% of earnings OR £187.18
90% × £150 = £135
You receive the lower amount
£135/week
Total Payment Scenarios
Average Weekly Earnings
Weekly MA Payment
Total for 39 Weeks
£208+
£187.18 (maximum)
£7,300.02
£200
£180.00
£7,020.00
£175
£157.50
£6,142.50
£150
£135.00
£5,265.00
£100
£90.00
£3,510.00
£50
£45.00
£1,755.00
Historical Maternity Allowance Rates
Tax Year
Maximum Weekly Rate
Maximum Total (39 weeks)
Increase
2023/24
£172.48
£6,726.72
10.1%
2024/25
£184.03
£7,177.17
6.7%
2025/26
£184.03
£7,177.17
0%
2026/27
£187.18
£7,300.02
1.7%
Who Can Get Maternity Allowance?
Eligibility Check
Requirement
Details
Employment status
Self-employed, employed, agency worker, or recently stopped work
Work test
Worked at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your due date
Earnings test
Earned at least £30/week for at least 13 of those weeks
SMP status
Not entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay
Common Qualifying Scenarios
Situation
Eligible for MA?
Self-employed 26+ weeks
Yes — main route for self-employed
Agency worker or zero-hours contract
Often yes — if not eligible for SMP
Changed jobs during pregnancy
Yes — if not qualifying for SMP
Employed but employer refuses SMP
Yes — claim MA instead
Partner helping in family business
Yes — if paid at least £30/week
Unemployed but recently worked
Maybe — depends on work history
Maternity Allowance vs Statutory Maternity Pay
Feature
Maternity Allowance
Statutory Maternity Pay
Who pays
Government (DWP)
Your employer
Who qualifies
Self-employed, agency workers, those not eligible for SMP
Employees meeting requirements
First 6 weeks
£187.18/week (or 90%)
90% of earnings (no cap)
Next 33 weeks
£187.18/week (or 90%)
£187.18/week (or 90%)
Maximum total
£7,300.02
£8,000+ (depends on earnings)
Taxable
No
Yes
Affects UC
Yes (counts as income)
Yes (counts as income)
Key difference: SMP pays 90% of your actual earnings (uncapped) for the first 6 weeks. Maternity Allowance pays the flat rate from day one.
SMP vs MA Payment Comparison
Weekly Earnings
SMP (first 6 weeks)
MA (first 6 weeks)
SMP Total
MA Total
£500
£450/week
£187.18/week
~£8,877
£7,300
£400
£360/week
£187.18/week
~£8,337
£7,300
£300
£270/week
£187.18/week
~£7,797
£7,300
£200
£180/week
£180/week
~£7,257
£7,020
When to Claim Maternity Allowance
Stage
When
Earliest you can claim
26 weeks pregnant (14 weeks before due date)
Earliest payment can start
11 weeks before due date
Latest to claim
Up to 3 months after the birth
Processing time
Usually 2-4 weeks
Tip: Claim as early as possible — at 26 weeks pregnant — to ensure you receive payment before your baby arrives.
How Maternity Allowance Is Paid
Payment Detail
Information
Paid by
Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Frequency
Every 2 or 4 weeks
Payment method
Bank or building society account
First payment
After your claim is approved
Can You Work While Receiving Maternity Allowance?
Keeping in Touch (KIT) Days
Rule
Details
Allowed work days
10 KIT days without affecting MA
After KIT days used
Lose a week’s MA for each week you work
What counts as work
Any day doing work activities, even just an hour
Self-Employed Work
Situation
Effect on MA
Complete break from work
Full MA payment
Occasional emails/admin only
Usually no effect
Active trading during MA
May lose MA for those weeks
Important: Self-employed women can’t always “switch off” their business entirely. Passive income, rental income, or investment gains don’t affect MA.
Maternity Allowance and Other Benefits
Universal Credit
Impact
Details
Does MA count as income?
Yes — reduces UC pound for pound
UC child element
You’ll receive this after your baby is born
UC childcare element
Available when you return to work
Work allowance
£404/month (housing element) or £673/month (no housing) — but MA counted before this