The MA1 claim form and the evidence
Maternity Allowance is claimed on form MA1. There is no online claim that replaces the form: GOV.UK explains that you can print the form and fill it in, fill it in online and print it, or order a form if you cannot print one. You then send it to the address printed on the form. That paper step surprises people who expect a fully online benefit, so plan for printing and posting time, and keep copies of everything you send.
Before you start the form
Work out your test period dates first, using the GOV.UK test period calculator, and gather your employment history for those 66 weeks. The form asks for information about your employment in that period, so having payslips, contracts, and self-employment records to hand before you start will make the form faster and more accurate. If you cannot print the form, or you need it in another format such as braille, large print, or audio, GOV.UK directs you to Jobcentre Plus, which can supply alternative formats.
The evidence checklist
| Evidence | When you need it |
|---|---|
| MATB1 maternity certificate, or a letter from your doctor or midwife on headed paper | To prove your due date, when claiming before the birth |
| Your baby's birth certificate, original, not a photocopy | To prove the birth, when claiming after the birth |
| MATB1 with the actual birth date filled in by a doctor or midwife | An alternative birth proof when claiming after the birth |
| SMP1 form from your employer | If an employer refused Statutory Maternity Pay |
| Payslips or other proof of earnings | To support the earnings test and the rate calculation |
| Details of your partner's self-employed business and your unpaid work | Only for the 14-week unpaid-work route |
The SMP1 point deserves emphasis. If you were employed at any time in the 15th week before the week your baby is due, you should send form SMP1 with your claim if an employer has refused Statutory Maternity Pay. GOV.UK's technical guidance warns that without it, Jobcentre Plus may return your claim form and maternity certificate with a note telling you to ask your employer whether you are entitled to Statutory Maternity Pay, which delays everything. If you had more than one employer in that 15th week, get an SMP1 from each employer. If you were not employed in that week, you can claim with the MA1 and MATB1 alone.
Timing and decisions
You can apply once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks. GOV.UK states that you should get a decision within 20 working days. If you are eligible, a form is sent to you confirming your entitlement and asking you to confirm your last day of employment before leave. If you disagree with a decision, you can challenge it by asking for mandatory reconsideration, which is the first formal step before any appeal. Do not treat a refusal as final without reading the reasons and checking them against the eligibility test on this site; refusals sometimes turn on a missing document rather than on the underlying test.
If you claim after the birth
Claiming after the birth changes the proof of pregnancy into proof of birth: the original birth certificate, or a MATB1 with the actual birth date added by a doctor or midwife, or a headed letter. Everything else on the form stays the same, including the test period, which is still anchored to the original due date rather than the actual birth date. Late claiming is possible, but the backdating limit of three months from the start date still applies, as explained on the when payments start page.
Sources: GOV.UK, Maternity Allowance: how to claim; GOV.UK, Maternity benefits technical guidance (SMP1).