Self-employed maternity and sick pay: what you can claim

What can you claim if you are self-employed?

Maternity Allowance can support eligible self-employed people for up to 39 weeks. Statutory Sick Pay is paid by an employer to employees, so a sole trader cannot claim it. For sickness support, check the conditions for New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Universal Credit instead. These are possible routes, not a judgement about your eligibility.

Figures in this guide are for 2026/27. Rules can change, so check the linked GOV.UK guidance before applying or making a National Insurance payment.

Who qualifies for Maternity Allowance?

For the self-employed route, you must have been registered as self-employed for at least 26 weeks in the 66 weeks before your baby is due. GOV.UK calls those 66 weeks the Test Period. The how-to-claim page includes a Test period calculator. If you registered late, check how that affects your Test Period with HMRC and the DWP.

Maternity Allowance is also open to people who are employed but cannot get Statutory Maternity Pay, have recently stopped working, or do unpaid work for a spouse or civil partner's business. The employee test is 26 weeks employed in the same 66 weeks, with earnings of at least £30 a week in at least 13 weeks.

For employed people or those who have recently stopped working, the amount is £194.32 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is less, for up to 39 weeks. The unpaid-work route pays £27 a week for up to 14 weeks; the spouse or civil partner must be registered as self-employed with HMRC and paying Class 2 for the same 26 weeks. Check the conditions in GOV.UK's Maternity Allowance guide.

How much is self-employed Maternity Allowance?

The self-employed range is £27 to £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks, depending on Class 2 National Insurance contributions in the 66 weeks before the due date. For the maximum, GOV.UK says you must have been registered with HMRC for at least 26 of those weeks and paid Class 2 for at least 13 of them. With no Class 2 paid, the rate is £27 a week, subject to meeting the eligibility conditions.

As an illustration, 39 weeks at £194.32 totals £7,578.48. At £27 it totals £1,053.00, a difference of £6,525.48. This compares the two ends of GOV.UK's range; it is not a forecast for any reader. The actual amount depends on Class 2 contributions.

How do you claim using form MA1?

You can apply once you are 26 weeks pregnant. Payments can start between the 11th week before the due date and the day after the birth. Claim within 3 months of your Maternity Allowance start date to receive the full amount you are entitled to.

1. Get form MA1 from GOV.UK: how to claim Maternity Allowance. Print and complete it, fill it in online and print it, or order a copy.
2. Follow the form's notes about supporting evidence. GOV.UK lists original payslips as proof of income, and a doctor or midwife's letter or MATB1 as proof of the due date.
3. If the baby has already been born, include proof of birth too. Send the claim to the address on the form.

GOV.UK says a decision should arrive within 20 working days. You can ask for mandatory reconsideration if you disagree. Maternity Allowance is paid every 2 or 4 weeks.

How does Class 2 National Insurance affect the amount?

Check your contribution record before assuming the rate you will receive. If fewer than 13 weeks of Class 2 have been paid, HMRC contacts you after your application about additional contributions. You can top up after applying; payments can then be increased and backdated. Linking contributions can take several weeks.

Under the 2026/27 self-employed National Insurance rules, profits of £7,105 or more mean Class 2 is treated as paid, without a Class 2 payment. Below £7,105, you pay nothing but can choose voluntary Class 2 at £3.65 a week. Check with HMRC which weeks count for your Maternity Allowance claim before paying.

GOV.UK's voluntary National Insurance guide lists self-employed eligibility where gross income is £1,000 or less, or gross income is over £1,000 with profits under £7,105. At £3.65 a week, 52 weeks would cost £189.80; 13 weeks would cost £47.45. These are arithmetic illustrations, not a recommendation or a promise that a payment will secure a particular benefit.

See our Class 2 and Class 4 rates guide and our National Insurance explainer for context.

Do self-employed people get sick pay?

A sole trader cannot claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for their self-employment. It is paid by an employer. The employee conditions include being classed as an employee, having done some work for the employer and being ill for at least one full working day. For 2026/27, SSP is £123.25 a week, or 80% of normal weekly earnings if lower, for up to 28 weeks. See GOV.UK's SSP guide.

New Style Employment and Support Allowance

New Style ESA can be available to employed, self-employed or unemployed people under State Pension age whose disability or health condition affects how much they can work. It requires enough National Insurance contributions, usually from the last 2 to 3 years; credits also count. Check the ESA conditions and your National Insurance record for gaps. New Style ESA brings Class 1 National Insurance credits.

Universal Credit and the minimum income floor

Self-employed Universal Credit claimants report income and expenses for each monthly assessment period. To be gainfully self-employed, you must show it is your main work: regular, organised work that you expect to make a profit from.

If you are gainfully self-employed, Universal Credit may use assumed earnings called the minimum income floor, based on what an employed person on minimum wage would expect to earn. Check GOV.UK's self-employment and Universal Credit guidance for how the rules apply.

What happens to other benefits?

Maternity Allowance can change Universal Credit, bereavement benefits, Carer's Allowance, Council Tax Reduction, ESA and Housing Benefit. Universal Credit is reduced by the amount of Maternity Allowance, and Jobseeker's Allowance stops. Maternity Allowance automatically brings Class 1 National Insurance credits.

Report changes such as returning to work. Payments can be stopped or reduced, and a £50 fine may apply. Check the reporting guidance in the GOV.UK Maternity Allowance guide.

A limited company director who takes a salary may fall under employee rules for SSP or Statutory Maternity Pay; ask an accountant to confirm their status.

Which records and registration details should you check?

Keep your HMRC registration details, National Insurance record, income and expense records, and claim evidence together. You must tell HMRC when you become self-employed. Most people pay Class 2 and Class 4 through Self Assessment.

Our Self Assessment registration guide explains registration. Check who needs to file and the 31 January deadline guide for your tax-return obligations.

RR Accountants is not HMRC or the DWP and cannot decide eligibility on their behalf. Use the official guidance and your own records to check the claim conditions.