SOON-TO-BE mums can get extra help preparing for a new baby thanks to a little-known benefit.
The extra financial support could boost an expecting mother’s income by up to £172.48 a week.
Mothers taking maternity leave are generally entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from their employer.
But in some circumstances, they may not be eligible, for instance, if they lost or left their job recently.
The same will also apply to women who work for themselves.
Instead, they may be eligible for the Maternity Allowance which is paid by the government and is worth up to £172.48 a week.
That adds up to £6,726 over the 39 weeks you could get it, though the exact amount you can get depends on your eligibility.
The allowance is expected to see another boost this year in April 2024, it will also rise from £172.48 a week to £184.03.
Last year the government boosted the allowance by 10.1% taking the initial figure of £156.66 to £172.48 a year.
Around 40,000 mums benefited from the increase in April last year.
You could be eligible for Maternity Allowance if you’re not entitled to maternity pay, you’re self-employed or you’ve recently stopped working.
The following must apply within the previous 66 weeks of your due date too:
If you’re self-employed you must have paid Class 2 National Insurance for at least 13 of the 66 weeks to get the full amount of £172.48 a week.
If you’ve been employed, you must have been earning (or classed as earning) £30 a week or more in at least 13 weeks of your employment. 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.
You can check your eligibility for Maternity Allowance or Statutory Maternity Pay using the calculator on Gov.UK.
If you do unpaid work for your spouse or civil partner’s business
You might get Maternity Allowance for up to 14 weeks if, for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due.
In the same 26 weeks, your spouse or civil partner must:
If you sadly lose the may you may still qualify for support.
This applies if your baby is either stillborn from the start of week 24 in the pregnancy or born alive at any point during the pregnancy.
If you can’t claim maternity benefits you might be able to get Universal Credit – here’s how to claim.
Maternity Allowance is worth different amounts depending on your situation. The following rates will apply from Monday, April 10:
The allowance is expected to see another boost this year in April 2024.
It will rise from £172.48 a week to £184.03.
You can claim Maternity Allowance once you’ve been pregnant for 26 weeks.
Payments usually start 11 weeks before your baby is due and is paid every two or four weeks.
Mothers can still launch claims within three months after giving birth and will still be entitled to the full 39 weeks’ worth of payments.
You should be aware that the money you get from Maternity Allowance can affect other benefits you get, including:
It could also affect the amount you get because of the benefit cap.
If you’re eligible, to get the money you need to fill in the Maternity Allowance (MA1) claim form.
You can do this online, or by printing it out and sending it by post – the address is on the form.
You’ll need to give information about your employment in the 66 weeks before your baby is due called the “test period”.
You will also need to include other documents when you send in your claim form:
You should get a decision on your claim within 20 working days.
If you’re eligible, a form will be sent to you confirming your entitlement and asking you to confirm your last day of employment before leaving.
You could also be eligible for the Sure Start Maternity Grant, which offers soon-to-be-parents in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a one-off upfront sum of £500.
You can get prescriptions and dental treatment for free while you’re pregnant and for 12 months after your baby’s due date.
Ask your doctor or midwife for a maternity exemption certificate (MATEX) to claim the free care.
Under the Healthy Start programme, you may be entitled to free milk, infant formula or fruit and veg if you’re at least 10 weeks pregnant or you have a child under four and you’re on certain benefits, such as Universal Credit.
And here are 16 freebies for parents and new mums including nappies, baby wipes and Lego magazines.
