Statutory maternity pay is paid by employers in the same way as wages. It is paid for up to 39 weeks and provides 90 per cent of you average weekly earnings (before tax) for the first six weeks and then £151.97 or 90 per cent of your average weekly earnings (whichever is lower) for the next 33 weeks. Many employers provide a company maternity scheme which tops up the statutory pay or leave. However, they cannot offer less than the statutory amounts.
Those not eligible for statutory maternity pay, for example people who are self-employed, could get Maternity Allowance from the Government. To be eligible for the full amount of Maternity Allowance an individual must have paid Class 2 National Insurance for at least 13 of the 66 weeks before the baby is due. The Department for Work and Pensions will check if you have paid enough when a claim is made, but anyone that has not will still receive £27 a week for 39 weeks providing they meet the other eligibility criteria.
The differences in the parental benefits available to the self-employed reflect that this group generally have more flexibility over how to plan their workload and time off. This is reflected in the additional flexibility seen in Maternity Allowance (when compared to Statutory Maternity Pay).
Extra help is available in the form of other state benefits such as Universal Credit, Child Benefit, Child Tax Credit, Working Tax Credit and Income Support.