Can You Claim Benefits If You Are On Maternity Leave?

With the recent news of the DWP encouraging people to claim their benefits as well as advance payments to meet the increasing living costs, one would be keen to know if you can claim benefits on maternity leave and this is what we aim to learn through the content of this blog post. In addition to this, we will also review if the UK government offers any other support in the form of grants to help individuals with the cost of having and raising a baby.

Can You Claim Benefits If You Are On Maternity Leave?

Yes, you can claim benefits if you are on maternity leave. Benefits specific to an expecting mother are Statutory Maternity Leave and Statutory Maternity Pay.

Statutory Maternity Leave is a 52-week leave that employees can claim from their employers when they go on maternity leave.

Claimants can get Statutory Maternity Pay for up to 39 weeks while the remaining 13 weeks will be unpaid leave. The start date can either be 11 weeks prior to the delivery or from the actual date of delivery. They will be able to claim payments according to the below division:

For the first 6 weeks, claimants will receive 90% of their average weekly earnings (before tax) f
For the remaining 33 weeks, they will get £156.66 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower)

If you are employed but do not qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you can apply for Maternity Allowance.

However, if you are also on a low income, you can claim these additional benefits:

Child Benefit
Child Tax Credit
Working Tax Credit
Employment And Support Allowance
Income Support

In addition to this, you can also get:

antenatal care; which is paid time off for an expecting mother while she attends medical appointments, tests or parenting classes during her pregnancy
free prescriptions and free dental care from the NHS; starting from the pregnancy up until your baby is a year old
extra help from the government in the form of grants

How Do You Claim Statutory Maternity Leave?

In order to claim Statutory Maternity Leave, the applicant must first make sure that they meet the eligibility criteria for the benefit. This includes the following essentials:

The applicant must be an employee and not a worker (employees have added rights as compared to workers).
The applicant must have given a 15week notice to their employer with regards to their maternity leave.

How Do You Claim Statutory Maternity Pay?

To claim Statutory Maternity Pay, the claimant should first be able to meet the below-listed conditions to qualify for the benefit:

The weekly earnings of the claimant on average are at least £123
They have provided correct evidence of their pregnancy to their employer along with a 15-week advance notice
They have worked for at least 26 weeks for their employer and have continued into the “qualifying week” before giving due notice

The evidence for pregnancy, in this case, includes the following documents that must be submitted by the claimant to their employer when they apply for maternity leave:

letter from their doctor or midwife confirming the pregnancy
the claimant’s MATB1 certificate

If you are unable to qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay for any reason or you become self-employed, you can apply for Maternity Allowance. You can check online whether you qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance.

How Do You Claim Maternity Allowance?

If you are an employee who has not qualified for Statutory Maternity Pay either because you have not worked long enough for a current employer, have recently become self-employed or you earn less than £123 per week, you can claim Maternity Allowance.

You will be paid either on a fortnightly or monthly basis with payment amounting to £156.66 per week or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is less). You can expect these payments for the first 39 weeks. After that, you will get £27 per week for up to 14 weeks.

If you wish to apply, the Maternity Allowance claim form is available online.

How Do You Claim Government Grants During Maternity Leave?

If you or your partner claim any of the following benefits and your baby is the only child younger than 16 years of age in your family, you will be eligible for a Sure Start Maternity Grant:

Universal Credit
Pension Credit
Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit (at a higher rate than the family element)
Working Tax Credit (including a disability or severe disability element)

The Sure Start Maternity Grant is a one-time payment of £500 that can help you with the increased costs of having a baby.

You can also apply for the NHS Healthy Start scheme if you or your partner claim any of these benefits:

Income Support
Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
Income-related Employment Support Allowance
Child Tax Credit (if your household income is £16,190 or less and you’re not claiming Working Tax Credit)
Working Tax Credit run-on
Universal Credit (if your monthly household income is £408 or less)
Pension Credit (including the Child addition)

The NHS Healthy Start scheme provides claimants with a weekly payment of £8.50 to buy healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, milk and vitamins.

What Benefits Do Single Mume Get On Maternity Leave?

In addition to maternity benefits and depending on their circumstances, single mums can claim benefits from the below list:

If you have sole responsibility for a child under the age of 16 years, you can claim Child Tax Credit and Child Benefit.
Depending on your income and savings, you can claim Housing Benefit if you live in rented accommodation.
Single mums who work equal to or less than 16 hours per week or are unable to work can claim Income Support or Jobseekers’ Allowance.
If you have a health condition or a disability due to which you cannot work, you can claim Employment and Support Allowance.
You may qualify for income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or income-related Employment and Support Allowance. If you receive these benefits for 26 weeks, you can apply for an interest-free loan for basic home expenses.
If you are a single mother who is working 16 hours or more per week, you can claim Working Tax Credit.
If you are a homeowner claiming Universal Credit, you can apply for Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) to help you with mortgage payments.
If you are the sole adult in your household, you can claim a 25 per cent discount on your council tax bills.

Conclusion:

The above discussion has clearly highlighted that one can indeed claim benefits if they are on maternity leave and explained the relevant eligibility criteria for these. Individuals who are unable to qualify for maternity benefits and are on a low income should seek alternate support by applying for welfare benefits such as Universal Credit or Child Benefit; as well as Government supported grants.

FAQs: Can You Claim Benefits If You Are On Maternity Leave?

Can I get Universal Credit if I’m pregnant?

Yes, you can get Universal Credit if you are pregnant and on a low income. You can also claim Government grants as well as free prescriptions and dental care from the NHS.

When should I tell my UC I’m pregnant?

If you are a Universal Credit claimant, you should inform the DWP of your pregnancy once you are in the 20th week of your term.

What benefits can I claim when I have a baby?

If you are having a baby and your household income is equal to or less than £16190, you can claim Income Support, Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income-related Employment Support Allowance, and Child Tax Credit.

How much money do you get from the government for having a baby?

You can get a one-off payment from the government for having a baby. This payment is made under the Sure Start Maternity Grant.

How much is maternity pay per week?

If you qualify for Statutory Maternity Pay, you will get 90% of your average weekly pay per week for the first 6 weeks. For the remaining 33 weeks, you will get £156.66 or 90% of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower).