Money and time off after having a baby: what you can claim in 2026/27

Deadlines at a glance

Pay while you're off work

Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP)

SMP is paid by your employer for up to 39 weeks:

• first 6 weeks: 90% of your average weekly earnings, before tax
• next 33 weeks: £194.32 a week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that's lower

Tax and National Insurance are taken off. To get SMP, you usually need to earn at least £129 a week on average. You also need to have worked for your employer for 26 weeks by the 15th week before your due week.

Maternity Allowance

If you can't get SMP, for example because you're self-employed or recently stopped work, you might get Maternity Allowance. It's paid for up to 39 weeks:

• if you were employed: £194.32 a week, or 90% of your average weekly earnings if that's lower
• if you're self-employed: between £27 and £194.32 a week, depending on your National Insurance
• if you did unpaid work in your spouse's or civil partner's business: £27 a week for up to 14 weeks

If you get Universal Credit, it goes down by the amount of your Maternity Allowance.

Leave from work

• Maternity Leave is up to 52 weeks. You must take at least 2 weeks after the birth, or 4 weeks if you work in a factory.
• Paternity Leave is for fathers and partners: up to 2 weeks, taken together or as 2 separate weeks. Since 6 April 2026, it's a right from your first day in a job. Statutory Paternity Pay is £194.32 a week, or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower. To get the pay, you still need 26 weeks with your employer and average earnings of at least £129 a week.
• Shared Parental Leave lets you share up to 50 weeks of leave and up to 37 weeks of pay in the first year. Shared Parental Pay is £194.32 a week, or 90% of average weekly earnings if lower.

Northern Ireland has its own employment law, so check nidirect if you work there.

Child Benefit

Child Benefit is £27.05 a week for your eldest or only child, and £17.90 a week for each other child. It's usually paid every 4 weeks.

You can claim 48 hours after you've registered the birth. It can only be backdated 3 months, so claim early.

If you or your partner earn over £60,000, you may have to pay some of it back through tax. At £80,000 or more, you'd pay it all back. GOV.UK says it's still worth claiming. If you're not working, or don't earn enough to pay National Insurance, claiming gives you National Insurance credits. These count towards your State Pension.

Help if you're on a low income

Sure Start Maternity Grant (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

A one-off payment of £500. You don't pay it back, and it won't affect your other benefits.

• It's usually only for your first child, or for twins or more if you already have children.
• You or your partner need to get Universal Credit, Pension Credit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance.
• Claim from 11 weeks before your due week, up to 6 months after the birth.

Best Start (Scotland)

In Scotland, the Pregnancy and Baby Payment replaces the Sure Start Maternity Grant. It's £796.65 for a first child and £398.35 for each later child. You can apply from 24 weeks pregnant until your baby is 6 months old.

Best Start Foods pays £44.80 every 4 weeks for each child under 1, onto a card for healthy food and milk.

Healthy Start (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Healthy Start puts money on a card every 4 weeks, to spend on milk, fruit, vegetables, pulses and infant formula. It also gives free vitamins.

• £9.30 a week for each child under 1
• £4.65 a week for each child aged 1 to 4
• £4.65 a week in pregnancy, from 10 weeks

It's for families on Universal Credit with take-home pay of £408 a month or less, and some other benefits. If you're under 18 and pregnant, you don't need to be on benefits.

Universal Credit

Since 6 April 2026, Universal Credit pays the child amount for every child, however many children you have. The benefit cap still applies. Report your baby as a change of circumstances in your Universal Credit account.

Free prescriptions and dental care

In England, NHS prescriptions and NHS dental treatment are free while you're pregnant, and for 12 months after the birth.

For prescriptions, you need a maternity exemption certificate. Your midwife, doctor or health visitor applies for you. For dental care, you can show the certificate, your MATB1 form or your baby's birth certificate.

In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, prescriptions are already free. In Wales, that's if you're registered with a Welsh GP.

Sources

1. GOV.UK, Register a birth (date not shown)
2. mygov.scot, Register a birth (updated 11 June 2021)
3. GOV.UK, Maternity pay and leave (date not shown)
4. DWP, Benefit and pension rates 2026 to 2027 (updated 16 February 2026)
5. GOV.UK, Maternity Allowance (date not shown)
6. GOV.UK, Paternity pay and leave (date not shown)
7. GOV.UK, Shared Parental Leave and Pay (date not shown)
8. GOV.UK, Plan to Make Work Pay and Employment Rights Act: timeline update (updated 25 September 2026)
9. HMRC, Child Benefit, Guardian's Allowance and tax credits: rates and allowances (updated 9 March 2026)
10. GOV.UK, Child Benefit (date not shown)
11. GOV.UK, High Income Child Benefit Charge (date not shown)
12. GOV.UK, Sure Start Maternity Grant (date not shown)
13. nidirect, Social Fund Sure Start Maternity Grant (updated 25 June 2026)
14. mygov.scot, Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods (updated 10 August 2026)
15. NHS, Healthy Start: your payments and how to shop (date not shown)
16. NHS, Healthy Start: how to apply (date not shown)
17. GOV.UK, Two-child limit scrapped as historic Bill to lift 450,000 children out of poverty becomes law (published 19 March 2026)
18. GOV.UK, Universal Credit if you have children (updated 22 April 2026)
19. NHSBSA, Maternity exemption certificates (date not shown)
20. NHS, Who can get free NHS dental treatment (reviewed 11 February 2025)
21. Scottish Government, Healthcare costs (date not shown)
22. GOV.WALES, Free prescriptions (updated 18 September 2020)
23. nidirect, Help with health costs (date not shown)

Last checked September 2026. Next check April 2027.

This guide gives general information. It isn't medical advice, and it can't tell you what's right for you.