Maternity Allowance Test Period Calculator
Enter your due date to find the 66-week test period Maternity Allowance looks back over, then check the work and earnings tests and see what you could get each week.
New to it? Start with Maternity Allowance. If your employer pays you SMP, use the Maternity Pay Calculator instead.
Your test period
At least 26 of the 66. They do not have to be in a row, and jobs can be mixed.
At least 13. They do not have to be together.
You can choose the 13 weeks with the most earnings. All your employers' earnings count.
When it starts
Left blank, the earliest start is used: 11 weeks before the week your baby is due.
Maternity Allowance a week
Paid by DWP
Total
Over 39 weeks
Test period starts
Ends 27 Mar 2027
Claim by
3 months after the start
On these answers you meet the tests for Maternity Allowance: £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks. DWP makes the decision.
You cannot get Maternity Allowance for weeks your employer pays you SMP. Check SMP first with the Maternity Pay Calculator.
Your Maternity Allowance dates
| Date | When | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Test period | Sun, 21 December 2025 to Sat, 27 March 2027 | The 66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due. |
| Earliest start | Sun, 10 January 2027 | Payments can start any time from the 11th week before the week your baby is due to the day after the birth. |
| Your start | Sun, 10 January 2027 | The date used below. |
| Claim by | Sat, 10 April 2027 | Claim within 3 months of your start date to get the full amount. |
| Last week of payments (week 39) | Sat, 9 October 2027 | Maternity Allowance is paid for up to 39 weeks. |
Weeks run Sunday to Saturday. Weekly amounts are rounded to the nearest penny. DWP pays Maternity Allowance every 2 or 4 weeks.
What the test period calculator works out
It anchors every Maternity Allowance test to your due date, for all three ways of qualifying.
Your test period
The 66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due.
The work test
At least 26 weeks employed, self-employed or in unpaid work for a partner's business.
The earnings test
At least 13 weeks earning £30 a week or more, if you were employed.
Your weekly amount
£194.32 or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is less.
Self-employed rates
£27 to £194.32 a week, depending on Class 2 contributions.
Start and claim dates
The earliest start, the 3-month claim deadline and the last week of payments.
What is the Maternity Allowance test period?
The test period is the 66 weeks up to and including the week before the week your baby is due. Your work and earnings tests are measured inside it.
For a due date of Thu, 1 April 2027, the test period runs from Sun, 21 December 2025 to Sat, 27 March 2027. The calculator counts Sunday to Saturday weeks, the same weeks GOV.UK uses for the week your baby is due.
The weeks you count do not have to be in a row, and you can mix jobs. That is the main difference from SMP, which needs 26 weeks with one employer running into your qualifying week; the Maternity Pay Qualifying Week Calculator works out yours.
The tests for each way of qualifying
| If you were | In the 66 weeks you need | Weekly amount | For up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employed, or recently stopped working | 26 weeks employed, and £30 a week or more in at least 13 of them | £194.32 or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is less | 39 weeks |
| Self-employed | 26 weeks registered with HMRC; Class 2 for at least 13 weeks for the maximum | £27 to £194.32 | 39 weeks |
| Working unpaid in your spouse's or civil partner's business | 26 weeks of that work, no job of your own, and your partner registered self-employed and paying Class 2 in the same weeks | £27 | 14 weeks |
How much Maternity Allowance you get
If you were employed, Maternity Allowance is £194.32 a week or 90% of your average weekly earnings, whichever is less, for up to 39 weeks.
Your average comes from any 13 weeks in the test period. They do not have to be in a row, you can pick the weeks with the most earnings, and earnings from more than one employer all count.
Average £600 a week
Illustrative
- 90% of £600
- £540.00
- Weekly amount
- £194.32
- Total over 39 weeks
- £7,578.48
90% is more than £194.32, so the standard rate applies.
Average £150 a week
Illustrative
- 90% of £150
- £135.00
- Weekly amount
- £135.00
- Total over 39 weeks
- £5,265.00
90% is less than £194.32, so 90% is paid.
If you are self-employed
You get between £27 and £194.32 a week for up to 39 weeks. The maximum needs 26 weeks registered with HMRC and Class 2 National Insurance for at least 13 of the 66 weeks; with no Class 2 the amount is £27. Voluntary Class 2 is £3.65 a week, and after you apply you can be invited to pay more to reach the maximum, with payments increased and backdated.
HMRC says Class 2 is treated as paid if your profits are £7,105or more a year, so you do not have to pay it. GOV.UK's Maternity Allowance guide still describes the maximum as needing Class 2 paid for 13 weeks. DWP decides how your weeks count, so the calculator shows the range when you enter fewer than 13.
When payments start and when to claim
Maternity Allowance can start any time from the 11th week before the week your baby is due to the day after the birth. Claim within 3 months of your start date to get the full amount.
For a due date of Thu, 1 April 2027, the earliest start is Sun, 10 January 2027, and starting then means claiming by Sat, 10 April 2027. You can apply once you have been pregnant for 26 weeks, DWP aims to decide within about 20 working days, and it pays every 2 or 4 weeks.
Questions about the test period
Do the 26 weeks have to be in a row?
No. The 26 weeks can be spread across the 66-week test period, and they can come from different jobs.
Which 13 weeks of earnings are used?
Any 13 weeks in the test period that you choose. Pick the weeks with the most earnings to get more Maternity Allowance.
Can I get Maternity Allowance and SMP?
Not for the same weeks: you cannot get Maternity Allowance if your employer pays you SMP. If your employer refused you SMP, send your SMP1 form with your claim.
Does my employer's own maternity pay reduce it?
No. Occupational maternity pay and other payments from your employer do not affect your Maternity Allowance.
What the calculator does not do
- The decision: DWP decides your claim. The calculator checks the tests on your own answers.
- Part Class 2 records: with fewer than 13weeks it shows the range, not DWP's figure.
- Northern Ireland: these are the rules for England, Scotland and Wales from GOV.UK.
- Tax and benefits: it does not work out tax or how Maternity Allowance affects other benefits.
How this calculator was checked
Every rule and rate comes from GOV.UK's Maternity Allowance guide, DWP's technical guidance, HMRC and the 2026 up-rating order. The £194.32 rate applies to Maternity Allowance from 6 April 2026, one day after it applies to SMP. Checked 8 October 2026.
- Maternity Allowance: Overview (GOV.UK)
- Maternity Allowance: Eligibility (GOV.UK)
- Maternity Allowance: What you'll get (GOV.UK)
- Maternity Allowance: How to claim (GOV.UK)
- Maternity benefits: technical guidance (DWP)
- National Insurance: classes (HMRC)
- Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026, article 9 (legislation.gov.uk)
Weekly amounts are rounded to the nearest penny. See Methodology and sources for every rate the site uses.