UK maternity benefits

Women in the UK have a number of maternity benefits, including maternity pay and maternity allowance.

Maternity benefits

When	What to do	Why
As soon as you know you’re pregnant	Ask your doctor or midwife for form FW8. Tell your dentist if you need treatment. Check leaflets MV11, H11, and G11, and tell the Social Security office if you’re getting supplementary benefit. Tell your employer, especially if your job is dangerous, as your employer must find you an alternative job or suspend you on full pay.	Apply for free prescriptions. Apply for free dental treatment. Check your right to free glasses, free milk and vitamins, help with hospital fares. No loss of pay for keeping antenatal appointments; protection against unfair dismissal.
As soon as you can	If you’re unemployed or sick, check leaflet N117A and ask your Social Security office about the Maternity Allowance claim.	This can affect the amount of Maternity Allowance you may get.
20 weeks	Ask at your antenatal clinic for forms BM4 and Mat B1. Apply BM4, and give Mat B1 to your employer.	You can apply from now for Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance.
15 weeks before expected week of childbirth	Tell your employer in writing: the date you want to stop work; the week the baby is due; and whether you intend to return to your job.	To protect your right to maternity pay, and return to work.
29 weeks	If getting supplementary benefit, claim single payments for maternity clothes and baby’s needs.	Statutory Maternity Pay or Maternity Allowance are paid from now.
As soon after the birth as you can	If you’ve had more than one baby, fill in BM4X. If your baby was late, fill in form BM9. Register your baby’s birth as there are time limits. Send off CH2 or CH11A if you’re a single parent. Check low income benefits and find out about child tax credit.	Extra maternity grant for each baby. To claim extra maternity allowance. To get the birth certificate. To get child and one-parent benefit. To see if you qualify for supplementary benefits, free prescriptions, dental treatment, spectacles, milk, vitamins, hospital fares, or help with rent and council tax.
3 weeks after birth	Register your baby (if you live in Scotland).	Latest date.
6 weeks after birth	Register your baby (the rest of the the UK).	Latest date.
3 months after the birth	If you haven’t already, apply for Maternity Allowance for single or multiple births.	You may lose out on a Maternity Allowance if not claimed by now.
28 days before returning to work	Write to your employer stating the date when you wish to return to work.	To help them plan for your return.