Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992

35 State maternity allowance [F1 for employed or self-employed earner]. E+W+S

[F2 (1) A woman shall be entitled to a maternity allowance [F3 under this section], at the appropriate weekly rate determined under section 35A below, if—

(a) she has become pregnant and has reached, or been confined before reaching, the commencement of the 11th week before the expected week of confinement; and

(b) she has been engaged in employment as an employed or self-employed earner for any part of the week in the case of at least 26 of the 66 weeks immediately preceding the expected week of confinement; and

[F4 (c) her average weekly earnings (within the meaning of section 35A below) are not less than the maternity allowance threshold for the tax year in which the beginning of the period of 66 weeks mentioned in paragraph (b) above falls;]

(d) she is not entitled to statutory maternity pay for the same week in respect of the same pregnancy.]

(2) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a maternity allowance [F5 under this section] shall be payable for the period (“the maternity allowance period”) which, if she were entitled to statutory maternity pay, would be the maternity pay period under section 165 below.

(3) Regulations may provide—

(a) for disqualifying a woman for receiving a maternity allowance [F6 under this section] if—

[F7 (i) during the maternity allowance period, except in prescribed cases, she does any work in employment as an employed or self-employed earner;

(ia) during the maternity allowance period she fails without good cause to observe any prescribed rules of behaviour; or]

(ii) at any time before she is confined she fails without good cause to attend for, or submit herself to, any medical examination required in accordance with the regulations;

(b) that this section and [F8 section 35A below] shall have effect subject to prescribed modifications in relation to cases in which a woman has been confined and—

(i) has not made a claim for a maternity allowance [F9 under this section] in expectation of that confinement (other than a claim which has been disallowed); or

(ii) has made a claim for a maternity allowance [F10 under this section] in expectation of that confinement (other than a claim which has been disallowed), but she was confined more than 11 weeks before the expected week of confinement;

[F11 (c) that subsection (2) above shall have effect subject to prescribed modifications in relation to cases in which a woman fails to satisfy the conditions referred to in subsection (1)(b) [F12 or (c) above] at the commencement of the 11th week before the expected week of confinement, but subsequently satisfies those conditions at any time before she is confined.]

[F13 (3A) Regulations may provide for the duration of the maternity allowance period as it applies to a woman to be reduced, subject to prescribed restrictions and conditions.

(3B) Regulations under subsection (3A) are to secure that the reduced period ends at a time—

(a) after a prescribed period beginning with the day on which the woman is confined, and

(b) when at least a prescribed part of the maternity allowance period remains unexpired.

(3C) Regulations under subsection (3A) may, in particular, prescribe restrictions and conditions relating to—

(a) the end of the woman's entitlement to maternity leave;

(b) the doing of work by the woman;

(c) the taking of prescribed steps by the woman or another person as regards leave under section 75E of the Employment Rights Act 1996 in respect of the child;

(d) the taking of prescribed steps by a person other than the woman as regards statutory shared parental pay in respect of the child.

(3D) Regulations may provide for a reduction in the duration of the maternity allowance period as it applies to a woman to be revoked, or to be treated as revoked, subject to prescribed restrictions and conditions.]

[F14 (3E) A woman who would, but for the reduction in duration of a maternity pay period by virtue of section 165(3A), be entitled to statutory maternity pay for a week is not entitled to a maternity allowance for that week.]

(4) A woman who has become entitled to a maternity allowance [F15 under this section] shall cease to be entitled to it if she dies before the beginning of the maternity allowance period; and if she dies after the beginning, but before the end, of that period, the allowance shall not be payable for any week subsequent to that in which she dies.

(5) Where for any purpose of this Part of this Act or of regulations it is necessary to calculate the daily rate of a maternity allowance [F16 under this section] [F17 the amount payable by way of that allowance for any day shall be taken as one seventh of the weekly rate of the allowance].

(6) In this section “confinement” means—

(a) labour resulting in the issue of a living child, or

(b) labour after [F18 24 weeks] of pregnancy resulting in the issue of a child whether alive or dead,

and “confined” shall be construed accordingly; and where a woman’s labour begun on one day results in the issue of a child on another day she shall be taken to be confined on the day of the issue of the child or, if labour results in the issue of twins or a greater number of children, she shall be taken to be confined on the day of the issue of the last of them.

[F19 (6A) In this section “the maternity allowance threshold”, in relation to a tax year, means (subject to subsection (6B) below) £30.

(6B) The Secretary of State may, in relation to any tax year after 2001-2002, by order increase the amount for the time being specified in subsection (6A) above to such amount as is specified in the order.

(6C) When deciding whether, and (if so) by how much, to increase the amount so specified the Secretary of State shall have regard to the movement, over such period as he thinks fit, in the general level of prices obtaining in Great Britain (estimated in such manner as he thinks fit).

(6D) The Secretary of State shall in each tax year carry out such a review of the amount for the time being specified in subsection (6A) above as he thinks fit.]

(7) The fact that the mother of a child is being paid maternity allowance [F20 under this section] shall not be taken into consideration by any court in deciding whether to order payment of expenses incidental to the birth of the child.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 35 heading inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(a)

F2 S. 35(1) substituted for s. 35(1)(1A) (12.1.2000 for specified purposes, 2.4.2000 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), ss. 53(1), 89(1) (with s. 53(4)); S.I. 1999/3309, art. 2(1)(a)

F3 Words in s. 35(1) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F4 S. 35(1)(c) substituted (6.4.2003) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 4(2); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(3), Sch. 1 Pt. 3

F5 Words in s. 35(2) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F6 Words in s. 35(3)(a) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F7 S. 35(3)(a)(i)(ia) substituted for s. 35(3)(a)(i) (27.6.2006 for specified purposes, 1.10.2006 in so far as not already in force) by Work and Families Act 2006 (c. 18), s. 19(2), Sch. 1 para. 6; S.I. 2006/1682, arts. 2(d), 3(d)

F8 Words in s. 35(3) substituted (12.1.2000 for specified purposes, 2.4.2000 in so far as not already in force) by Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 (c. 30), ss. 53(2)(a), 89(1) (with s. 53(4)); S.I. 1999/3309, art. 2(1)(a)

F9 Words in s. 35(3)(b)(i) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F10 Words in s. 35(3)(b)(ii) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F11 S. 35(3)(c) added (with effect in accordance with reg. 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Maternity Allowance and Statutory Maternity Pay Regulations 1994 (S.I. 1994/1230), reg. 2(3)

F12 Words in s. 35(3)(c) substituted (6.4.2003) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 4(3); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(3), Sch. 1 Pt. 3

F13 S. 35(3A)-(3D) inserted (30.6.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 120(2), 139(6); S.I. 2014/1640, art. 3(1)(d)

F14 S. 35(3E) inserted (30.6.2014) by Children and Families Act 2014 (c. 6), ss. 120(3), 139(6); S.I. 2014/1640, art. 3(1)(d)

F15 Words in s. 35(4) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F16 Words in s. 35(5) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(b)

F17 Words in s. 35(5) substituted for s. 35(5)(a)(b) (1.10.2006 in respect of women whose expected week of confinement falls on or after 1.4.2007) by Social Security Act 1998 (c. 14), ss. 67, 87(2); S.I. 2006/2376, art. 2

F18 Words in s. 35(6) substituted (1.10.1992) by Still-Birth (Definition) Act 1992 (c. 29), s. 2(1)(a)(2)(a), 4(2)

F19 S. 35(6A)-(6D) inserted (6.4.2003) by Employment Act 2002 (c. 22), s. 55(2), Sch. 7 para. 4(4); S.I. 2002/2866, art. 2(3), Sch. 1 Pt. 3

F20 Words in s. 35(7) inserted (with application in accordance with reg. 1(3) of the amending S.I.) by The Social Security (Maternity Allowance) (Participating Wife or Civil Partner of Self-employed Earner) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/606), regs. 1(2), 2(3)(c)